Trouble in Gotham City (Started)

Harley Quinn

I gave a nervous giggle as we left the room. When were people going to learn that it didn’t pay to try and outsmart the joker? Clearly, such a loser deserved what was about to happen. Then the screams started. I jumped and clung to Mr. J’s arm. He gave e a look. It wasn’t my fault though. I was jus startled.

Sure, I’m immune to the fear toxin, but the Scarecrow still bothered me. Mad Hatter to. Although my discomfort probably had more to do with my discomfort at letting them hang around. What with the Bat gone, Mr. J probably needed some consolation. I was hoping we would have some quality time together now that his archrival as missing, but no such luck it seems. Still, if he wanted to keep some cronies around, who was I to argue? He was in a dark mood anyway.

“What do we do now, puddin’?” I asked.

Scarecrow

My mask seemed to acknowledge me, slumped on a wooden chair by the door. It was a cold thing, like the head of a corpse but grinning with a jagged mouth, the stitches seeming to writhe like maggots. I had come to despise it, but it was part of me. It was my face. Scarecrow's face.

I was outside the room, keeping to the shadow of a dank hallway, examining the face of a cracked china doll, a slit down the left eye and up into its golden curls. Like Scarface's wife? The ornaments of Deveraux's abode were in bad taste, but I certainly admired this figure of decided unrest; anyone who can keep this thing, staring blankly with dead eyes, in plain sight, clearly has some sort of nerve.

Either that or it's a family heirloom he doesn't have the balls to throw out.

I smashed it against the wall, standing as the Joker left the room and entered the hallway.

"Won't talk," he grabbed his purple jacket from the coat hook by the door. "As expected. Use your..." he waved his hands around. "...doodads. Shouldn't take long, he's a wuss."

That decided it. Heirloom.

"Listen, clown." Joker squinted at my insult. "You promised me money. Shares. This C4 is for both of us. And my payment... will be soon."

"I'm a man of my word."

The Joker crossed his heart with a grubby finger and left the building, giggling slightly.

Harley walked passed, nodding at me quickly. I gave her the creeps.

Good.

I placed my trench coat over my shoulders, pulling on my mask, the rough fabric itching my face and yet becoming my face, and my hat. It was a pointed hat that I was quite pleased with, a muddy brown that went well with the mask, hiding it in shadow. Gloves next, wires and tubes leading to small pipes on the palms, leading to a canister that I placed in my pocket, hiding it with my black coat.

The man, Deveraux, looked up with a green face as he saw me enter the room, turning off the lights.

"Oh, God no," he whispered. "Not... not you."

"You've heard of me," when I talked to victims it was slow and cold. The voice of my mask, controlling me. It wasn't me. It was Scarecrow. "How flattering."

I grabbed a chair and swung it round to face him, sitting down with the back of the chair against my chest, placing my arms over it. I tilted my head. He couldn't see the whole of my face, just the outline of a grin. My eyes.

"My... boss. He wants to know where something is. I think you know."

My gloves started to hiss and he screamed.

"Tell me."

***

"I think he has a fear of rats."

Deveraux had yelled his little face off for little over a minute, giving in to my toxin quickly.

"He'll be out of our way, right?"

"He'll die," I nodded, my mouth twitching into a smile. "Eventually. That was a pretty strong dose."

"And the C4?"

Joker was smiling at the still audible screams as we made towards the elevator, my mask hidden away in my trench coat now.

"Idiot hid it in the warehouse by the docks. Warehouse B."

"Ooh boats," grinned the Joker. "My favourite."

I will post Mad Hatter when the story requires it, if that's OK, unless anyone (ie Joker, as Mad Hatter is working for him) has a specific idea of something he wants the Hatter to do. If not, I'll just have him working for Scarecrow, maybe try to link in a small sub-plot for him so he doesn't end up as the tea boy or anything.
Cheers.

The Huntress

The night breathed cold and caressing air across the bare skin of my body. Stepping out of the steam filled bathroom onto the balcony I wrapped towel around myself, sitting on the lounger there. I looked down upon Gothem, a madness filled place now that the Bat had gone. It was strange just how peaceful chaos could be.
"Ah, miss Brookes. And I thought I was looking for the renown Huntress," I heard the voice of an old friend slither from the shadows behind me.
"Don't flatter me, Nigma. You know it's wasted, which is a shame really since your honeyed word are so often so nice to listen to. But let us cut to the chase as it were, why are you here? Or would you rather I phrased it more.... riddle like?" My voice was lazy and tired sounding but my mind was sharp, as you had to be around the Riddler.
"Riddles are always fun don't you think? But no, the way you speak is sufficient enough. I require your survive for want of a better word, calling in an old favour if you will. Now, will you repay your debt?"
"Only if you are willing to catch me, but you would have to wait a moment for the fun," I knew this part of the city well for it was mine and mine alone. It he intended for me to acompany him then dear old Edward would have a dicult time getting me to do it.

Having retreaed into my room, I quickly changed into my private life; the Huntress. Meeting Edward on the balcony once again I made a simple wager.
"Catch me and I shall repay the favour I would rather forget, but if not then the debt will be forgotten," He raised his eyebrows and shrugged,
"As you wish, I promise no games before you say," With that I dived off of the balcony ledge in the darkness below, catching hold of a less swinging myself to another ledge down another ally allowing myself to drop the rest of the way,
"Then again, I do have a trick up my sleeve: whats green and scaly, and waiting for you?" I heard Edward's voice follow my into the depths of the street, and as I landed, I landed in the arms of Killer Croc.
"Me!" He roared.

~The Riddler~ (I'm changing my writing style into 1st person)

Croc had played his part well: snaring the Huntress in his bulky tree trunks of arms. And yet she struggled, pushing against his arms in a futile spasm of herculean effort. I laughed then, a deep throaty cackling that slithered down the nearby buildings until reaching the ears of the two below. Leisurely, I strolled into her apartment and made my way down to the street: confident in Croc's strength.

I reached them a few minutes later, and smiled into Huntress' face. That was, until she struck it with her heels. The pain exploded across my face: a wave of feeling that for a brief moment left me speechless. Alas, only for a moment.

"Feisty as ever my dear. Yet even the feisty must obey their vows"

"Of course Edward, you caught me: I'll work with you"

"Oh Miss Brookes, you of all people should know I am no fool: three seconds after Crocky-boy has let you go, it's an arrow through my throat and a quick get-away into your favorite part of the city. I can see your pretty little eyes searching the area for an escape, but I assure you there is none" She averted her gaze from nearby alleyways and stared at me with rage.

I approached her, and Croc accordingly suspended her above me, completely helpless. "Let her go Croc" I said.

"What?"

"Drop her"

He released her, and she fell with poise, with her crossbow in her hand in seconds, aimed at at my protruding face. "Go on darling; do it" She hesitated, then realized how close she was to Croc. She moved out of the way, keeping her eyes trained on me the entire time.

"Why did you do that?"

"Oh I don't know. Why indeed?"

She looked at me, as if she could hope to understand my motives. I could see right through her: she knew me well enough that I had something planned out: so attacking me was dangerous for now. As long as she believed that, all was fine. It was a risky business I was playing: bluffing.

Eventually, she sighed and lowered her weapon.

"Fine Nigma. For now you win: what do you need"

"Oh not much more, just one man, with two faces"

Two-face

I sat in the dank warehouse, surrounded by the corpses of those who dare challenge my followers. The sound of clinking metal echoed as I repeated flipped my coin; lost in thought. I will take this city... yet the capability of doing so far surpases the elements I currently have I broke from my thought and almost dropped my coin when one of my men burst through the door. "News? Idea? Speak quick, I'm not so sure you'll be lucky twice".

"Sir, a man named M.r Nigma would like to confer with you".

My eyes widened. "Invite M.r Nigma inside. I am willing to listen to his proposition".

"Oh and sir, we might need to open the grage door".

I leaned back into my improvised chair, and watched as the same door opened and a green figure bounced spritely into the room. "Why hello M.r Dent! Before we make our greetings I would like to play a quick quiz".

"I have no time..."

"All righty then! What's large, green, and very, very hungry?" The man leaned to the left as the figure of a collosal beast appeared in place of the garage door. I frowned. "And... what's fast, leathery and very hard to control?"

"Errrm..."

"Trick question! Both of them are!"

The door the man had arrived from opened yet again to reveal woman dressed totally in leather. I laughed. "Ah, Riddler, it's been too long. Last time I saw you must have been, oh I don't know... five years ago, when you left me to my fate in the Gotham Bullion Bank". The Riddler changed posture. "I'll tell you what. You get one flip, you know how the rules work". I held the coin towards Edward as stood up out of my chair. I smiled my freakish, one-sided smile, and flipped...

Killer Croc

"Heads," Two Face announced, "You live Enigma but..." He turned to me and shot. I felt something slip off my neck and realised it was the collar.

Before anyone could react I charged at Enigma and pinned him against the wall. "Tick tock feed the Croc," and I was about to bite into him when I saw the barrel of a gun aimed at my eye, I could see down the barrel as well.

"I'm afraid you cannot kill Mr.Nigma here, as luck was on his side today... but is it on yours," Two Face told me and flipped...

"Heads again," He said, amused. As he walked away I licked my teeth ready to eat my next meal. "Drop Edward," Two Face shouted as he flipped the coin a third time. "Finally a tails," he laughed manically as he shot one of his men in the leg. Smelling the blood I rushed over and silenced the man's cries with one massive chomp... I was hungry. I was too busy digesting my meal to hear what Edward and Two Face were talking about but I could guess what their plan was.

Guys, we need to go back to how it was going.
So next:
1 comment for each hero. When they've done:
1 comment for each villain.
Then 1 comment from each Joker Gang.

No commenting before it's your teams turn (Blame crow by the way).
We're going to start again with the Hero's.
Sorry for this. But once again blame Crow.

Nightwing

I was greeted by Alfred at the door. "Mr Grayson, I believe you have a guest...". I sighed.

"Was she invited in"

"Not in a sense"

"Excuse me Alfred". I walked into the living room and saw her grin, but this time her mask was off.

"Evenin' honey"

"Really?" I said, exasperated. "I thought I lost you", I continued picking up the remote for the TV, "but the cat never loses track".

"No channels are available, I saw Bane tearing the masts at the media station down"

Great. I tried to think, the whole of Gotham was overrun by villains, but most scarily the Joker was on the loose. I'd met him, and fought him, but never alone. Bruce was always with me, but I had started to deal with small time villains, but never the psychopathes that went to Arkham. But I had Selina for the moment, and I might have been able to gain some more help by sending out an emergency frequency... I just hoped no crazies picked it up. "Come on Selina," I said, walking to the entrance to the Batcave, "we're going to get some help".

"Honey, you have me. Why do you need anyone else?"

"Have you ever met the Joker? Or Two-Face? Or Penguin?"

"Ok, ok, point taken".

Simon Dark/Kepler apartment building at the corner of Princeton avenue and Riverside road:


I worked steadily for hours on the painting. I found it in an old art book that I had found thrown out behind the library- on one of my few trips out of the village. It was a book of Impressionist paintings and It was a landscape. All full of trees, flowers and a bright clear stream running though- something we didn't have in Gotham. I pulled out another can of spray paint, and added brilliant blue sky- unmarred by poisonous smaug above the rolling hill. Closing my eyes I pictured the painting again- poppies, I needed to add the blazing poppies to the hill. I reached into my seemingly bottomless pockets and pulled out a small pot of paint and a brush- this needed to be done by hand.

Hours later this was done, and there were fully two hundred poppies now dotting the hill. I smiled feeling the stitches on my cheeks pull slightly. I couldn't wait to see which of the children found it first- it was like a game of hide and seek for me.

I would paint a picture and then the children would try to find it- they kept a running tally of who found the most. So far the two leaders were- Lizzy Sumpter had seven and Bobby Havish five. Those two had a rivalry going and every saturday they would be scouring the neighborhood for anything new. I usually tried to have a little something painted somewhere for them to find. I chuckled at the thought, and with a dash of silver pain- a gift from the green grocer down the street- I painted my signature. A stylistic phoenix in the bottom left hand corner, I always signed my pictures so.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Suddenly a voice said from behind me- I had been caught completely off guard. I whirled around to face whoever it was, every nerve tense- a young girl stood before me her face hidden behind a black mask, and waves of chestnut hair falling down her black cloaked back- what in gods name was she wearing?
I shied away further into the shadows as she stepped closer.

"Stay back!" I murmured, my voice hoarse and barely audible, she stepped closer again and I saw the outline of a flashlight- ohgod....

Turning I sprang past her, down the alleyway hardby. Terrified she would follow, terrified she would actually see me...

Please don't follow me- just go away. I prayed as I ran deeper into the heart of the village, heading for the safety of home...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


(Okay Bat girl has spotted the antisocial vigilante artist that is Simon Dark!)

Batgirl

I watched the boy go, but didn't pursue him. I decided to let him alone, since he never done any real harm to me or anyone in Gotham like most villians. I went on with my patrol of the city, looking for either the Joker or the Riddler. I still didn't like the fact that Batman- my mentor in martial arts and second father- had vanished all of a sudden when Gotham needed him most. All of us that was left of his legacy was me and Nightwing, who once was Robin before all this chaos came loose. I decided to return to the library at the end of my patrol, since the day was closing in. As I searched the city, I looked carefully for any sign of trouble. So far, nothing came up. Villians nowadays. They're hiding their tracks like they know Nightwing and I are on to them. Two can play that game of secrecy. I took to the library and changed to my true identity. No villian or hero knew I was really Commissioner Gordon's daughter, thanks to a long time of practice in secrecy.

Catwoman/ Prowling on the Rooftops of Gotham


Leaning closely on the edge of the rooftop, watching the girl wonder and freaky boy running away from her. If I knew better it must be the girl wonder Batgirl. Something seems to be off, the streets seems so stressed. Hearing screams from afar, where was The Batman? Or Nightwing? Something like this send chills down her spine. Crouching on the ledge thinking about pulling a heist. There was no one to stop her from doing it. She leapt off the ledge and tracked her claws and started to climb the wall, it was cold pressing her bosom onto the wall. As she was getting to the top she snapped her whip on the fire escape ladder she pulled herself up. Scanning the rooftop she started to walked down making sure that no one saw her. It was the last thing that she was going to get caught. She knew that she was going to turn over a new leaf, but it was really hard to resist fine jewels ready for the picking. Sprinting off the roof she snapped her whip and swung across to the other rooftop. Lifting slowly her goggles from her face she leaned down the edge of seeing a local jewelry store. She gently bit her lower lip, “Ugh it’s so hard to by a good guy sometimes.” She rolled her eyes and put her goggles back on. She went off back to prowling the rooftops once more.

Two Face

Nigma and Croc had survived the test of chance, but I still hadn't heard Edward's proposal. I turned to The Riddler. "Your proposition Nigma?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your proposition. You lived, continue with your speech."

"Ah yes, so..."

I nodded as I listened to Edward's rather intriguing plan. It was very logical, just like the man himself. However, I still placed myself head of this operation, Nigma couldn't be trusted; he was too selfish and untrustworthy. As for the Huntress, I wasn't sure about her... she seemed rather quiet, yet she did have a loyal look. And Croc... well, the easiest way to a man is through his stomach, especially when he's twelve feet tall and starving for flesh. I very much doubted an alliance with any other Arkham escapees, they'd either sided with the Joker or were way too insane to be trusted.

And as for that meddling little wannabe Batman, Nightwing, well... I had plans for him...

The Huntress

I stopped listening to Nigma as soon as he started. I was here to repay a debt not to know the whole plan inside and out, balancing myself on one of numerous barrels within the room I zoned out. I starred at Two Faces' good side, the side uncharted by the fire, and wondered how a good man could have falllen so low. It didn't take me long to realise I was comparing him to my father. Croc was a sight to behold; six foot tall and a mass of bone and muscle, he was quite intimidating to say the least. And Nigma, for all his thin frame and weak stature he was dangerous. He has a good mind that could be used for almost anything. But me? What did I bring to this motley group? Speed? A sense of sarcasm? I sat following everyones movements with my eyes, I saw two face rubbing his thumb and forefinger against his coin. I doubt that he even realised he was doing it.
"Excuse me, but what of my fate Dent?" I piped up during a lul in the conversation. The man with two face turned and faced me, arching an eyebrow. The only eyebrow left to him.
"What of your fate?"
"The coin, you hold onto it as if it were a lifeline. You also flipped for the others, would it not make sense to flip it for me also?" At this he stopped moving the coin quite so much and nodded.
"You make a fair point Huntress, let us see . Heads or tails?" And he flipped.

~The Riddler~

I groaned inwardly. Huntress was risking her life for no reason: a perfectly good waste of resources. I needed her for the operation. For all Croc's strength, he's not much use for little else than smashing, and Two-face and I were just standard fighters. Miss Brooke's finesse was the only thing that could hope to match that she-devil Catwoman. I needed her.

"Tails" she said. Two-face grinned and snatched the coin out of the air. His bad-side looked down upon it. He broke out into laughter, and looked at the Huntress.

"Your'e lucky, Huntress. But not lucky enough to be so eager to rush yourself into foolish games of chance" he said. The Huntress stepped back arms crossed.

"Right then, since it is evident that none of us are going to kill each other, I say it is time to enact phase 1" I rose from my seat, and started walking. The rest of the group followed, Croc last only after finishing the last of his meal.

Soon the four of us were in one of Two-Face's many trucks, he himself driving, I next to him, Croc in the back, and Huntress perched on top. The plan was actually quite simple: Croc causes mayhem, Heroes respond and arrive on scene, Two-face's men also arrive, dressed as Joker's gang. I have no doubt that the heroes will find away to overcome Croc, but if they were to fail and Croc won the fight, that's a couple less lunatics to worry about. The heroes apprehend Croc and the gang-members, deduce that they have been sent by Joker, and go after the mad clown. Meanwhile, I engage in a conversation with Joker, with Huntress overseeing as insurance,: warn him of the super-hereos impending attack, and the two enemies go for each others throats. To remove Two-face from suspicion, he and another portion of his crew will create a diversion far from Croc. In the end, The heros and Joker's gang wipe each other out, and, if either side were to win, Two-face, Huntress and I wipe out the survivors.

No more adversity, just a city ripe for the plucking.