Chapters Whispers in the Dark: Arkham Asylum
~Narrator's POV~
Arkham Asylum. Good grief, I hated the atmosphere of this place. It reeks of death, insanity and basically everything and anything that can make you feel unsettled. In the middle of a storm no less!
Since my father is away on 'business', I have to go to the mental institute, on his behalf, to investigate the Asylum and assess if the funds Wayne Enterprises is donating are well used.
I entered through the soaked, rusted gate of the Asylum, and made my way to the entry doors of Intensive Treatment, until I was stopped by two searchlights shining on top of me. Lucky I had my umbrella over my head, otherwise those dang bright lights would have blinded me for five minutes. Hehe.
I removed my headphones as a loud voice shouted from above me on my left, "Halt! State your name and business!"
I moved my umbrella, so the guards could see my face, and the lights didn't get in my eyes.
My name is Eleanor May Piper... Well, it's Eleanor May Wayne now, but my friends and family call me Ellie. I know, you're gonna expect me to say that I'm just a 'normal' girl, right?
Well... If you haven't been to Gotham and Metropolis, you're sadly mistaken. There's no such thing as normal.
My father is the Owner of Wayne Enterprises, Bruce Wayne, and the World's Greatest Detective, Batman. Both his jobs keep him very busy. To keep up the legacy, I chose to become his sidekick; The Child of the Night, Nightshade. And when the Waynes need to attend a charity event, yet Batman is needed elsewhere, I take his place, as Bruce's daughter learning the ropes of being the Heir of Wayne Enterprises.
My mother, Lorraine Susan Piper, used to be a talented magician for a travelling circus, alongside the infamous Flying Graysons, until she had me and decided to leave her circus life and raise me in Gotham. During a school field trip to a chemical factory, a group of bullies thought it was funny to pretend throwing me into a chemical vat. Unfortunately, one of the bully's grip slipped and I fell into the vat.
Luckily, I was able to survive, but the chemicals within the vat permanently altered my physical appearance and brain chemistry. I couldn't return to my mother in this state, so I wondered the streets of Gotham, stealing food so I could survive. A few months later, a tall and skinny man found me, decided to take me in as his own and raised me to become his hacker/information broker. I was only 5 years old at the time.
It was years later, that I found during the news, my mother passed away getting shot by an Earth Eponian she used to work for. That was when I decided to leave the criminal life and make amends for my crimes as a young vigilante.
"My name is Eleanor Wayne. I'm here to investigate on the Wayne Enterprises funds that were donated to this Asylum." I answered in a loud and clear voice.
The guard nodded, "I'll alert the warden that you've arrived, Miss. Wayne."
The lights switched off and the doors to Intensive Treatment opened. I entered the hallway, closed my umbrella and cleared my glasses from the humidity change.
Down the hall was Warden April Cinch, three security guards and a gurney. One human, one Earth Eponian and a Pegasus Eponian.
Warden Cinch was a middle-aged female Unicorn Eponian. Her fur coat is a very light blue with dark blue hooves and nails. Mane and tail in multiple shades of purple and violet, her mane tied in a neat bun. Steely eyes of pale violet.
She wore a pair of red spectacles, a dark blue blazer over a greyish-blue sweater. Violet-blue skirt that reached past her knees. A red broach on her collar. And pearl earring.
I walked up to her and raised a brow, "Expecting someone else, Warden?"
Warden Cinch adjusted her cuffs and cleared her throat, "Glad you could come, Miss. Wayne. However, we've heard word that Batman is on his way with the Joker. Unfortunately, we cannot continue our meeting until Joker is fully detained here."
I lightly smiled, "That's good. I can see how you are able to handle deranged psychopaths, like Joker himself."
Joker is an enigmatic character that has multiple backstories, but never reveals his real story. He's known for his kill count, maniacal personality and cartoonish appearance. Chalk white skin, red lips, green hair and eyes. Joker is also Batman's #1 arch-nemesis. He's committed more terrorizing crimes that Mr. Freeze and Penguin combined.
The guards looked at each other. Warden Cinch gave me a concerned look, "Miss. Wayne, I have to warn you-"
I raised my hand to silence her, "Warden. Remember who you're speaking to. I used to be a patient here. I know this place and its inmates like the back of my hand."
Right on cue, the entry doors opened with a gust of cold, wet air into the warm hallway. The sharp lights of the Batmobile revealed two silhouettes standing by the door.
One stood strong and had an aura of authority and mystery. The other was on its knees, skinny and had an aura of madness and death.
Batman and Joker have arrived.
Batman picked Joker to his feet and pushed him forward. I stepped aside.
Joker looked ahead and chuckled, "Hey, Cinchie. Love what you've done with the place."
He gave me a subtle glance. I noticed something in his eye. What was that?
"That's 'Warden' Cinch to you." Warden Cinch corrected, straightening her broach. She looked over her right shoulder, "Boles."
The officer on her right, Officer Frank Boles, walked toward Joker. Boles was a human, Caucasian male with dark hair and eyes, but his left eye was replaced with a glass one, with a scar that trailed from his eyebrow to his cheek.
Joker smiled, "Yo, Frank-ay. How's the wife and kids? Ya miss me?"
Boles violently grabbed Joker's collar, "Shut it, Clown! A lot of people here really want to talk to you."
He took Joker from Batman and escorted him to a gurney, the other two officers were standing next to.
"Really. I don't mind walking." Joker told the officers. The officers turned him and strapped him on to the gurney. "Not so tight, boys. You'll crease the suit." Joker laughed.
"Get that filthy degenerate out of here." Warden Cinch told the officers.
"Warden, something's not right." Batman told Warden Cinch, then started walking, "I'm going with him."
Batman followed the officers and Joker into the hallway, that lead into Intensive Treatment. I followed closely behind the Dark Knight.
I guess hunches run in the family, 'cause I heard over the radio, on the way here, that Joker barely fought back and surrendered with little resistance. Something's definitely amiss.
Batman stopped and looked at another officer, Officer North, an Earth Eponian, "Is Commissioner Smith here yet?"
Officer North nodded, "Yes, sir. He's... err... Just waiting for you down at Patient Handover. He got here just before you did."
Warden Cinch grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Batman, "Miss. Wayne, I strongly advise that you do not accompany this psychopath to see how we handle patient transfers."
I pulled my arm out of her grip, "Did you not listen to me? I used to be an inmate here. I can handle myself." Then I assured, "Besides, I'll be with Batman. If anything goes array."
The lights switched on, as Batman and I arrived on the elevator. I shielded my eyes from the brightness.
Joker smirked, "Cinchie loves her cameras. Hey, Cinchie! You getting my good side?" And he chuckled, "But heck, they're all good, aren't they?"
Warden Cinch rolled her eyes in disgust and spoke to Officer North, next to her, "I want him securely locked away this time. Another escape and I will lose support for my mayoral campaign."
Oh, I forgot to mention. Warden Cinch is running for Mayor of Gotham. Her campaign of keeping the criminals in check has been winning the votes so far.
Joker's voice broke my thoughts, "Look at all this new security. How's a guy suppose to break outta here?"
Once the lift reached the lower level, a four-toned tune played then a female voice spoke from the speakers, "New patient in the Intensive Treatment Lobby. All non-essential staff to vacate the area."
Officer Louie Green stopped me from entering the scanning tunnel, "Sorry, Miss. Wayne. But, you have to go now."
"She stays." Batman told him in a strong tone. Louie hesitated, but stepped back, allowing me to follow.
The security moved Joker into a metal detector room. Batman and I followed after. "Oh, it's always nice to return to my sweet little, ha, ha, hacienda." Joker sighed with a smile, then he looked at me and whispered very quietly, "Don't you think, Acie?"
"Miss. Wayne. And no." I answered back in the same volume.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention this. Before I was taken in by the Batman, I was adopted by the psychopath Joker. My name during that time was Ace. Named after the chemical factory, Ace Chemicals. The same chemical factory that altered me and Joker into the people we are now...
I'm a Magibat Eponian, as ironic as it is, but I'm not at the same time, due to the blood transfusion. I'm only Half-Magibat Eponian.
Eponians are, much like the Gorillas of Gorilla City, are the indigenous citizens of a large island called Equestria. Anthropomorphic, unguligrade equines of many tribes, shapes, sizes and colors.
They are ruled by their Alicorn matriarchs, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and Princess Melody Amora Cadenza-Smith, commonly known as Cadence.
They share their culture with the Amazons of Thymescira and the Atlanteans of Atlantis, as well as powerful users of magic. Each a type of magic possessed by a certain tribe, while Alicorns are masters of all magic in a certain element of magic. Sun, moon, love, time, space, nature, even friendship is a magic source.
I look like every other female Earth Eponian, but I have some traits that are dead giveaway of my magical nature. For one, I'm quite tall for my age. 5 foot 10 inches tall. My fangs are smaller, but sharp. My fur coat is a dark pastel green color with dark green nails and hooves. Dark violet-indigo, short and spiky mane with a long, matching tail. Dark green wings with a deep green membrane. And sharp, eerie green eyes that glow in the dark.
So, yeah. Not the kind of person to mean in a dark alley, huh? Fortunately, that's not what I look like right now.
Like my mother, I am powerfully talented with the mystic arts. So I created a glamour charm to hide my true appearance from everyone. The glamour charm happens to be a black leather choker with a amethyst crystal pendant.
In my disguise, I'm an Earth Eponian with a ravenette mane and tail with red and blue streaks. Light blue eyes and no one are none the wiser.
However, if someone is able to see through my disguise and see through the insane monster that I truly look like, they will be able to find the soul of a very kind person that tries her best to fight for justice and make amends for her previous crimes.
As for what I'm wearing. Well... Since I'm here as Eleanor Wayne, and not Nightshade, I'm currently wearing a white collared t-shirt under a pair of black formal overalls. A pair of matching black sandals and my hologram inducer choker.
How does Joker know it's me under the disguise? He caught me in the act, when he tried to hold me hostage. Not a trick I will do again.
Anyway... The officers, Joker, Batman and I entered the metal detection room and waited for the scanner to activate.
"Tunnel's full. Start the scan." A deep, African-American voice spoke from the speakers.
It must've been Officer Aaron Cash. A loyal, and the best security officer in this damned facility.
"Scan initializing." The operator answered.
The machine started scanning and running down the tunnel.
"Y'know what? I preferred the good ol' cavity search. Much more personal." Joke said, as the scan ran by him.
"Joker!" I scolded. Too much information! There's a lady present!
"What? I'm being honest." Joker shrugged.
I lifted my black-framed glasses and rubbed the bridge of my nose with a sigh.
I wear my glasses even in my true appearance. Good thing glasses mean nothing in Gotham, unlike a certain hero in Metropolis.
No offence, Clark.
The scan ran over Batman, Officer Boles and me. The scanner turned red and beeped in alarm.
"We got a red light. Multiple prohibited items." The operator alerted, switching the machine back on stand-by.
"I want Joker searched again!" Officer Cash shouted.
"It's not the patient. It's... er..." The operator tried to answer.
Joker looked at Batman and smiled, "Whatcha sneak in with you, Bats? C'mon. Tell me, tell me. Batarangs? Batclaws? Bat Snacks?"
Batman remained silent.
"Scan is green on Joker." The operator spoke up, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Open the gate. Get him outta there." Officer Cash shouted. The door opened and we mad our way out of the tunnel. "I want weapons on him at all times. Do not let him out of your sight." Officer Cash ordered the security.
"There'll be time enough for you later, Cash." Joker answered him, "Speaking of time, tick, tock, tick, tock. Is that a crocodile I hear?" Joker laughed, then looked over and saw Doctor Rachel Redheart, "What's up, Doc? Counsel me in for tomorrow, at 4. We've got a lot of catching up to do."
Doctor Rachel Redheart is one of the psychologists in the Asylum. Another Earth Eponian, like Officer North. Pale pink, near white fur coat. Light pink mane and tail, tied in a bun, and sapphire blue eyes. Seemingly, cold and calculating, but is now afraid of Joker.
I can't tell you why. Not yet...
We continued walking down the hallway, then Warden Cinch's introduction video started playing on the screens.
Joker looked at the screens and smiled, "Oooh, it's my favorite show." He mocked, sounding like Warden Cinch, "'I'm Warden Bitch'. 'You'll never escape'."
Upon the other side of the gate, Joker's men from Blackgate noticed their leader and cheered, as they walked past us.
Joker looked at the bars, "I'm telling you, the state of the wiring in these federal facilities is... Shocking. My boys, over there, could have been hurt in that unfortunate fire."
I raised an eyebrow, "You care, why?"
"Loyalty is one of the best traits in a henchman, my dear." He answered.
We came to a stop as a male, Zebran doctor, in light green scrubs, came in, "Just got to check your prisoner, Officer Boles."
"Whatever, just be quick." Boles answered. I raised an eyebrow at the security officer. He really wants this done quickly.
"Only following procedure." The doctor shrugged, then looked over Joker, "Patient seems to be in satisfactory condition. Looks like he suffered minor lacerations, probably in the last two hours." Then he took a closer look at Joker, "There seems to be..."
Joker shot his face to the doctor, "BOO!" Then burst into laughter.
The action caused the doctors and security to get away from him in startle. Batman and I didn't flinch.
Once everything calmed down, Joker asked, "Need to take my temperature? I'd be happy to drop my pants."
Annoyed and disgusted, the doctor answered to Boles, "He's all yours. Get him outta here."
"He's good. Get the door open." The officer, that was driving Joker's bed, told the door operator.
The four-toned tune played again and the female voice spoke, "Alert in Intensive Treatment. Category 9 patient in transit. Pacification system active. Shoot to kill permissions granted."
We wanted into the room and waited for the transit elevator to show up. Along the wall were more security.
"You heard the lady. Another psycho is on the way." The security guard, in front of us, alerted.
The elevator arrived, but seemed to be having a bit of trouble. "Can you smell the excitement in the air?" Joker asked, "No? Huh. Must have been one of the guards, then." Then he looked behind him with a smile, "Croc old boy, is that you?"
The elevator revealed a large creature, with reptilian-like skin, wearing prison pants and shackles, inside. The gate opened so the creature could move out.
"Get ready." An officer alerted, "Keep your weapons trained on it at all times."
I recognized the skin color and smiled, "Waylon!" Batman kept me behind him.
Waylon Jones is another known criminal in Gotham. But he mostly tries to keep to himself in the sewers. The reason he does criminal jobs, is so he could survive.
In the Underworld of Gotham, Waylon is known as Killer Croc, due his appearance. He was born with a rare skin condition, which childhood trauma mutated him into a crocodile-like creature.
Waylon and I have a good friendship, because I don't see the animal others treat him to be. I see him as a scared soul with a rare condition that wants to be alone and not seen for what he looks like. And he saw the same with me.
As Waylon made his way out of the elevator, a guard grimaced, "He looks angry."
Waylon got out of the elevator and stood upright, stretching from being cramped in a tight area. A light shone into his face, but he looked unaffected. Waylon sniffed the air.
"That thing looks pissed." A guard whispered, as Waylon looked at Batman.
He glared and turned to face Batman. "What's it doing?" Another guard asked.
"I've got your scent, Batman. I will hunt you down." Waylon growled.
The collar around his neck sparked and shocked Waylon out of his aggressive attitude. I balled my hands into fists of anger at the sight.
Waylon snarled, "A toy collar won't stop me from killing you, Batman." Then he walked over to the next room, "I'll rip you apart. Eat your bones."
The other guards followed after him and left the room. I calmed and relaxed my hands. To break the tension, Joker spoke up, "That reminds me. I really need to get me some new shoes."
"Ok. Move up." A guard told us.
We walked forward and entered the elevator. The gate closed behind us and the guard shouted, "Hold tight!"
The elevator started going down and Joker cheered, "Wheee! Great night for a party."
"Not where you're going." Batman answered, finally speaking after a while of silence.
Joker smiled, "The night is young, Bats. I still have a trick or two up my sleeve. I mean, don't you think it's a little bit funny, how a fire at Blackgate caused hundreds of my crew to be moved here?"
"I thought I told you to stay quiet!" Officer Boles snapped at my adopted father. I had to pinch my nose, once I caught a whiff of his breath. It reeked of a strong alcohol. Whiskey or bourbon.
"Oh, Frankie. You really should learn to keep that fat mouth of yours shut." Joker told Boles, then added in a dark tone and lightly motioning to me, "It'll get you into trouble."
"Tell me something. You've never let me catch you so easily. What are you really after?" Batman asked.
"Oh, nothing much. Hundreds dying in pain and fear. All their meaningless lives brought to a horrifying conclusion." Joker answered casually, then added in a low tone, "All thanks to you and a book of matches." Then he asked in his normal tone, "Was that the answer you wanted?"
Then, Warden Cinch's extra video started playing, "All patients should avoid contact with prisoners from Blackgate Prison Facility. Their presence in our institution is-"
Suddenly, the elevator stopped working, and the power went off. Joker burst into laughter. The officers started panicking and looking around.
"What's he doing?" The guard asked, then he shouted, "Stay where you are!"
Joker's laughter started to sound choked, as Boles shouted, "Get a flashlight! Get a light on him!"
The elevator regained power and the lights revealed Joker being held by the throat, by Batman. The video continued where it left off.
Joker looked at Batman, "What? Don't you trust me?"
Batman let go of Joker. "Our guest has arrived." The guard spoke up. The gates in front of us opened.
The four-toned tune played again and the female voice spoke, "Intensive Treatment lower floors are now at level Red Alpha."
Boles, Joker, Batman, the other guard and I continued walking, making our way to Patient Handover.
"So, you're back. You killed three of my crew when you busted outta here." A guard told Joker, as we walked past him.
Joker faked a gasp, "Only three? I'll be sure to try harder next time. What say we aim for a hundred?"
Once we entered, Batman and I noticed the GCPD Commissioner, Sheamus Arthur Smith, or just Sheamus, on the registration desk, filling out the paperwork.
Sheamus Smith was a male Unicorn Eponian. His fur coat was a snow white color with dark blue hooves and nails. His long mane and tail were sapphire blue with two light and dark blue streaks. His eyes were moderate blue. He had his mane up in a ponytail with his bangs hanging over his forehead.
Sheamus wore a white collared shirt under a gun holster vest, and dark blue khaki pants.
Batman looked over and asked, "Long night, Sheamus?"
Commissioner Sheamus looked over and smiled, "Heh. Joker invades City Hall and holds the Mayor hostage." He shook Batman's hand in greeting, "Leaving me to juggle SWAT teams, the media and you. Yeah, it's been a helluva night."
He joined us in escorting Joker to his cell. "Hopefully, the last one we'll ever have with him." Batman noted about Joker.
"Fingers crossed. Run a joke for too long and it's not funny." I added.
"Wise words." Sheamus smiled at me, then he asked, "What brings you back to this place?"
"Family business." I answered casually.
Once we reached the gate, a security officer stopped us, "Hold it there. Sorry, Batman. Arkham staff only."
"I assure you, if anyone's qualified, it's..." Sheamus was about to argue, but the officer stopped him, "Listen, I appreciate the assistance. But, he'll unsettle the more violent inmates."
Boles and the guard got Joker out of the gurney and moved him toward the doctor and the officer. He chuckled and looked at Batman, "I think he's talking about you, Bats." The officer took Joker and the electric field opened. "Don't be a stranger. You're always welcome here. Gotta say, it's good to be back."
The officer and doctor lead Joker into the main lobby and the gate closed behind them.
Sheamus looked over to Batman, who looked a little on edge, "You okay?"
"He surrendered, almost without a fight. I don't like it." Batman answered.
I shook my head in agreement, "Me neither. Joker is too calm."
"At least he's back where he belongs." Sheamus noted.
Batman, Sheamus and I walked into the office, and watched the officer and doctor take Joker to his cell. Out of nowhere, Joker collapsed to his knees. The officer went to his level to help him, "Get up. Now!"
Joker gave him a head-butt, then wrapped his cuffs around his neck, choking him.
"Joker's loose!" I alerted.
"Alert the Warden!" Batman told Sheamus.
"Hurry. We're loosing him, Doc!" Joker pleaded in laughter.
The doctor unlocked the cuffs, freeing Joker. Batman punched the glass, weakening it. Joker let go of the guard and kicked the doctor to the ground.
He returned to the guard, "The choke's on you."
Then he started dancing and laughing, then pointed at the second electric gate. He looked at the security camera, "Honey, I'm home."
Within a second, the gate was down. Batman jumped through the glass, but Joker ran to the other side and announced, as the gate closed again, "Welcome to the Madhouse, Batman. I set a trap, and you sprang it gloriously!"
Joker ran into the office, and the cells opened, "Now let's get this party started."
The inmates, within the cells surrounded us, as Joker spoke again, but in the speaker, "Ladies and maniacs. I apologise for this interruption to your regular entertainment. Up until a few seconds ago, I was going to kill everyone in the room and then watch cartoons. But then... Well... You know how I do love a captive audience."
Batman took out the inmates with ease. Joker smirked, "I'm just warming you up, Bats. Fresh from Blackgate Correctional Facility, with a combined sentence of 752 years. Ding, ding, ding, ding! It's round two!"
More inmates were released and surrounded Batman. I noticed a few sneaking up behind him. I jumped threw the window and took them by surprise with a flying kick. Batman turned to me, as I stood up and took a stance.
Joker checked his watch and alerted, "Sorry. Gotta run. I've got places to go and people to slay." With that he was gone.
Batman and I were able to take out the last of the inmates. Then, Sheamus' appeared on the screen, "The system's jammed. We're stuck in here. Joker's in full control of the security gates!"
"We'll find a way out." Batman assured, "Sheamus, try and contact the Warden. Let him know what's happened. We'll be back."
Joker's image appeared on the screen, as he was running down the hall and looked at security camera, "Don't make promises you can't keep, Bats. I'm in control of the Asylum. You're not going anywhere I don't want you to. Understand?"
In a low tone, Batman threatened, "If you think I'll let you run..."
"Blah, blah, blah. Always with the hero speak. I'm getting bored of watching you. Why don't you just come find me..." Joker countered. The gate that lead further into Intensive Treatment opened.
Sheamus appeared on the screen again, "You know it's a trap."
"Of course it is." Batman noted.
Whispers in the Dark: Arkham Asylum
~Eleanor Wayne's POV~
Okay, let me back up a bit. Batman had just stopped Joker's scheme at City Hall that involved Gotham's current Mayor. I arrived to deal with some donation affairs with Wayne Enterprises and Arkham Asylum.
Just before he was taken to his cell in the Asylum, Joker broke loose and took control of the entire facility. Now, it's up to Batman and I to stop him before he hurts anyone beyond the island.
Batman and I followed the hallway, trying to chase after Joker. As we turned a corner, security guards laid dead along the path. My heart burned in anger.
"Everywhere that madman goes, death is sure to follow." Batman muttered under his breath.
My hand balled into fists. I can't believe I grew up with the psychopath of a man. But, I was very young, I didn't know any better.
Suddenly, the alarm sounded, as we ran. The female voice alerted, "Warning. Security breach in level B3. Warning. Security breach in level B2. Warning. Security breach in level B8. Warning Security breach in level B1."
A group of inmates arrived and tried to attack us, but Batman and I took them out with ease. We came to a two-way fork. The left one lead to a locked door and a security guard regaining consciousness, the right lead further into the hallway.
Batman and I walked to the security guard. He looked at Batman and asked, "What happened?"
"Joker happened. You're lucky to be alive." Batman answered.
"He must've gone this way." The guard replied, pointing to the door behind him, "Door's jammed. I'll try and get it open."
Then another voice spoke from the guard's radio, "We need help in Pacification. I repeat, we need backup in Pacification. Can anyone hear this?"
The guard tapped his radio and replied, "Can you hear me? I'm with Batman and Eleanor Wayne. Hello?"
"Where are they?" Batman asked.
The guard pointed down the hallway, "Back down that way. Do you need help?"
"No. I work better alone." Batman answered.
The guard was about to argue, but his radio went off again, "Zsasz is free! Oh, God. He's got Mike!"
My eyes widen with shock. I recognized the voice on the radio. Zsasz?! Celestia help us all.
Then there were screams and silence. The guard spoke into his radio, "Franklin, can you hear me? If you can, help's on the way."
I quickly grabbed Batman's hand and lead him down the hallway, toward Pacification.
Near the corner of the hallway, Batman activated his comms, "Oracle, can you hear me?"
"Loud and clear. What's up?" A voice spoke from the other side.
Oracle, or Faith Hannah Smith, is Commissioner Sheamus' only daughter. She an Alicorn Eponian, and the daughter of Princess Cadence.
Yup. Commissioner Sheamus and Princess Cadence are married and proud parents.
Faith used to fight crime alongside Batman, Nightwing, Robin and I, as Batgirl. But, an accident, involving Joker, rendered her paralyzed from the waist-down and the loss of her wings. So, now she hides in secret and became the crime-fighting information broker, Oracle.
"Good to hear from you, Oracle." I greeted with a smile, then went serious, "Joker's escaped custody. He's running free in Arkham."
"Do you two need anything? Is my dad still there?" Oracle asked in genuine concern.
"Sheamus is safe. Joker is not far ahead. We'll stay in contact." Batman assured.
The door ahead opened, allowing us entrance to Patient Pacification Chamber. Two officers were at the gate, shouting at someone.
The Pegasus Eponian officer, Zach Franklin, noticed us coming and called, "Batman. Over here!" Batman and I approached Officer Franklin. He sighed in relief, "Thank God. It's Zsasz. He's got Mike. He's strapped in the chair. Zsasz has totally lost it."
"Wait here." Batman told him.
"You can't. He'll kill Mike, if he sees anyone trying to get close." Franklin argued.
"He wont see me." Batman assured.
"I see anything that looks even a little bit like a bat, and this guard dies. Do you hear me?!" We heard Zsasz shout from the chamber.
Electricity followed and a loud scream of pain. Zsasz means business.
Victor Zsasz is another criminal in Gotham. An Earth Eponian. He's well known for killing women and keeping a tally by leaving scars on his body. I think he's trying to imitate Jack the Ripper, but with his own twist.
I looked and saw the office door was open. If working alongside Batman has taught me anything, it's that criminals and henchmen hardly ever look up or below.
I grabbed Batman's hand and lead him to the office part of the chamber, which was set on a second floor and above Zsasz's head.
Batman looked around and patted my shoulder, "Good job, Miss. Wayne. Now wait here. I'll deal with Zsasz."
I nodded and crouched behind the fence of the balcony, as Batman used his grappler to hop across the gargoyles, that hanged above the chamber. He got behind Zsasz and delivered a gliding kick. The kick knocked the switch from Zsasz's hand and him to the ground. Batman finished the job by giving Zsasz a punch to the head.
I quickly climbed down and grabbed the switch for the chair. The gates were shut down and Officer Franklin and the guard ran into the chamber.
"Someone, put this animal back in his cell." Officer Franklin told the guards.
Then, the screens in the room switched out of the security and showed a woman adjusing a camera, "Can you hear me? Is this thing on?"
I recognized the voice in seconds. Doctor Harleen Frances Quinzel, now known as Harley Quinn. She used to be Joker's psychiatrist, but ended up supposedly Joker's girlfriend, but he just uses and abuses her for fun. And she likes it and understands why he does it.
Harley Quinn is an Earth Eponian with tremendous strength and stamina, often mistaken for Metahuman. Blonde mane and tail, styled in pigtails. Blue eyes and light tan fur coat.
Harley backed from the camera and we got a good look at her. She changed her old harlequin uniform for a strippers version of a nurse's uniform. She even traded her black domino mask for a dark blue one. She kept her white face paint.
"Oh, hiya B-Man. Harley Quinn here." She greeted with a wave. She gave a twirl, "How do you like my new uniform? Pretty hot, huh?" Then she realized something, "Oh, I got something to show you!"
She walked off, then returned, "One second, B-Man." She walked out of the camera's view and Warden Cinch appeared, tied to a spinning chair and gagged with duct tape over her muzzle with a drawn smile on it.
"Ta-da!" Harley walked in again, "I'm now subbing for the old lady. Old Cinchie's never been happier." She walking in front of Warden Cinch, "In case you ain't figured it out, today's the Joker's big homecoming, and you, B-Man, are the guest of honor."
"You have one chance to surrender, Quinn." Batman told Harley with a glare.
"Tempting, Bats. But, no dice." Harley answered, walking over to Warden Sharp's chair, "Now the inmates are running the Asylum. Well, technically, they're Joker's goons shipped in from Blackgate, but you get the idea. Bye-bye for now." Then she whacked the camera and the image became nothing but static.
Then Oracle's voice spoke up, "Batman, Nightshade. You picking this up?"
"Oracle, we're here." Batman answered.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Arkham Asylum just vanished off the network." She informed us.
"He's in control of the security system. He's probably isolated it from the grid." Batman explained, referring to the Joker.
"That's not all he's done. All police feeds are reporting he's planted bombs all over Gotham. Says he'll detonate them, if anyone sets foot on Arkham Island." Oracle added, "It's being suppressed at the moment, but the story will break any time now."
I scoffed, "He's lying. It's just a diversion to keep people away."
"How do you know?" Oracle asked. Batman gave me a surprised look.
I shrugged with a small smile, "It's me, remember?"
The conversation ended and Batman and I started looking around the chamber. One of the guards tried to reopen the gate, but to no avail, "The room's locked down. I can't open the gate. We're trapped in here!"
"Try the radio. Control should be able to shut down the gate." Officer Franklin instructed.
I looked down and noticed a ventilation grate, that lead into the ceiling and out of Pacification. I snapped my fingers with a smile and tried to pry the grate loose.
I heard Officer Franklin ask, "Miss. Wayne, what the heck are you doing?"
"Harley was never very bright on traps and exits. Luckily, I know this place like the back of my hand." I answered and successfully removing the grate from the vent.
Batman looked and smiled, "You never ceased to amaze me."
I smiled back, and Batman started crawling into the vent. I quickly followed after him.
Oracle spoke through the comms again, "Batman. Nightshade. I'm patching you into the guard radio feed."
Then the comms started sounding like gunshots and loud footsteps. A male voice spoke up, "Steve, more Blackgate prisoners. By the boiler."
Another voice asked, "Who's that behind them?" Then grimaced, "Oh my God... It's Joker! He's free! How'd he break out?!"
Then there were louder shots, and silence. Oracle spoke up, "Sorry. Feed's down. Comms are up and down like crazy. It's not good. I'll keep trying."
Batman and I were able to find the exit of the vent and, as expected, found ourselves at the fork of the hallway. The security guard got the door open and ran down the hallway, which lead to Decontamination.
The four-tuned tone played as the woman's voice spoke, "Warning: Decontamination Room. Toxins detected."
Batman and I quickly arrived and saw through the window. Multiple guards, officers and inmates were inside and the room was filled with a deep green gas. They were laughing and collapsing to the ground. Joker Toxin.
An armored shield rose and covered the window, "Warning: Decontamination Room. Area sealed."
"What is that stuff?" The guard asked.
"Joker Toxin." I answered in a low and angry tone.
"Listen. The room is full of poison gas. Anyone caught in there is dead." Batman explained.
I looked through the sealed window and looked above the gas cloud. I saw a few survivors unable to move. "I see survivors above the cloud." I informed Batman.
"Are you gonna get in there and help them?" The guard asked.
Batman looked up, then looked at me, "Miss. Wayne, wait out here with the guard. I'll take care of the toxin."
"Be careful, Batman." I answered, as he used his grapple to enter the ceiling.
Once he was gone, I sat down against the window, thinking about this escape attempt. Something doesn't feel right about this whole thing. If Joker wanted to escape, he shouldn't have cut Arkham Island from the grid and mess around with the security feeds. It feels like he's trying to get to someone that's on the island. Or something...
"Something on your mind, Miss. Wayne?" The guard asked, breaking my train of thought.
"This isn't just a simple escape attempt. Joker's been planning this for a while." I answered.
"How can you tell?" He asked me.
Before I could answer, the sound of fans reached my ears. I stood up and the shield lowered. The four-toned tune played and the voice spoke, "Attention. Air purity is now at normal levels."
Then Joker's laugh echoed from the speakers. The woman spoke again, "Attention. Decontamination Room access is now permitted."
The door unlocked and opened. I entered the room and met up with Batman. The room was covered in green spray paint, canisters of Joker Toxin and dead victims. Anger burned in my heart. Joker is gonna pay for what he's done.
Batman and I arrived to the other end of the Decontamination Room, green spray paint arrows and dead guards were leading the way.
Joker's voice spoke from down the hallway, "What are you waiting for? I'm so close, you can almost taste me."
Two Blackgate inmates tried to take us by surprise, but Batman and I took out one each. We followed the arrows down a hallway, to a door with Joker's face on it.
The door opened to reveal Joker on top of a large, iron and steel cell, close to a balcony and with nowhere to run.
Joker saw us and smiled, "What took you so long?"
Batman threw a batarang at Joker, but Joker ducked before it hit him. Joker laughed at Batman's attempt to warn him.
"There's nowhere to run, Joker. We will find you." Batman told Joker.
"Oh, I'm counting on it. Just not yet!" Joker replied.
He stomped his foot and the cell opened. Batman pushed me back, as a mutated, monster of a man, around the size of Bane or Killer Croc, exit the cell and glared at us.
"Oooh, he's a big one." Joker laughed.
I stepped back as I stared at the monster's glowing pale green eyes. My vision started to cloud over with darkness as a vision came to my mind.
*Vision*Within the darkness I saw a portion of Gotham City behind a reinforced wall.
Criminals, crime-lords and gangsters were all inside and raging war on each other.
Joker's laugh echoed and the city was engulfed in flames.
The smoke of the flames weren't their normal charcoal black, but a murky green, like a haze or a... Gas....
A glowing green dragon emerged from the flames and cried to the moon.
The moon's craters moved and formed into a scarecrow-like face on it.
Then, everything went black again.
"Eleanor, look out!"
I blinked back into reality, to find the 'Titan' charging toward me. Quickly recovering, I grabbed a ball of blinding powder, threw it at the Titan and jumped out of the way. The Titan was blinded by the powder and charged into the wall, that was behind me. He turned and swung his large arm around, trying to attack me or Batman.
He recovered by his blindness and threw his fist at the ground twice, in a fit of frustration. The Titan turned to me, then clutched his heart and his head. Like he was in a lot of pain. He backed away, toward Joker, holding his head, then after two powerful pumps from his chest, the Titan's eyes stopped glowing and collapsed on the ground.
Dead.
"Well, that was unexpected, wasn't it? Oh well." Joker sighed, then muttered to himself, "Note to self: Need stronger test subjects." He looked at Batman, "Seeing as how I'm feeling generous, I'll give you this one for free."
Joker walked toward the edge of the cell and stretched his arms out wide. My eyes widen in shock and memory. He's done this a few times before.
"Knock me off, I dare you! End this, pull the plug, stop me once and for all!" He told Batman.
Batman grabbed a batarang and was ready to throw it. Quickly, I grabbed his arm and stopped his throw. Batman looked at me and pulled his arm out of my grip. He remembered his vow and withdrew his batarang.
Joker laughed and stepped away from the ledge, "You're getting too predictable, Bats." The cell started to rail back, "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I have a party to organize. I've got guests flying in from all over Arkham. You'll see."
Two large doors closed, cutting view of Joker and his sinister laugh and smile. I rubbed my arms in discomfort and sighed in worry. Whatever he has planned, it's not gonna end well.
"Are you hurt?" I heard my father ask me.
I shook my head, "I'm alright." Then I looked at Batman, "You?"
"I'm fine." He answered, then asked, "You froze for a moment. What did you see?"
I rubbed my arms, "I saw Gotham behind a wall. Destruction. Fire. Death of hundreds..." I closed my eyes to stop the tears from the thought of what the vision meant.
I felt my father pull me into a tight embrace, "It's going to be okay, Ellie. I wont let it happen."
I hugged my father back. For the sake of the citizens of Gotham, I hope he's right.
Then we heard a voice mutter from behind a gate, "Aaah... My head."
Batman and I released the hug and saw the unconscious guard regain consciousness. He saw us and called, "Quick. Get in here, before more of them come!"
The guard leaned over to the gate switch and shut the gate down, "Batman. Miss Wayne. I'm over here."
Batman and I entered the control room. Batman turned to talk to the guard, while I tried to use the computer to see where Joker was going.
"They came out of nowhere! I dragged Jerry in here, powered up the gate. Must have passed out." The guard told Batman.
"Joker went through that door. What's on the other side?" Batman asked him.
"We call it 'Extreme Isolation'. Only way in is via the transport system." The guard answered.
"Open it." Batman instructed.
The guard nodded, "Not a problem. I just need to call another cell."
He walked over to the controls and tried to call a cell from Extreme Isolation, but it wasn't responding. Even the screen on the computer went static.
"Something's wrong here. The main security loop is locked." The guard informed Batman and I.
Then, through the static of the television, a very familiar face came into view, "Having a little trouble up there?"
"Joker." Batman growled, as the face backed for good view.
"You were expecting maybe Two-Face?" Joker asked.
"There's no escape, Joker." Batman told Joker.
"Silly Bat! I don't wanna escape. I'm having way too much fun. I even have you and Little Nellie Wayne here to keep a smile on my face." Joker answered with a chuckle.
"Not for long. Whatever you're up to, we'll put an end to it." I told my former adopted father.
"Really? We'll see. Ta, ta." Joker said, as he was about to leave, then something came to him, "Oh, I forgot to say."
He turned to screen to show a security footage, "Just in case you were planning on following me, I've arranged a little insurance." Commissioner Sheamus was attacked from the behind by Officer Frank Boles, "Smith is on his way to Harley, as we speak."
My hands balled into fists of anger, and Batman growled, "Officer Boles."
Joker laughed at the footage, then turned to the screen, "If I see any of you two trying to follow me, he dies. Harley is looking forward to it. Maybe I'll film it and post it on the internet."
With that, the screen returned to its static image.
"The transport system is down. Best I can do is open the door you came in. Sorry." The guard apologized.
My fists tighten as my anger burned. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, calming myself down. The first thing Batman and I have to do is get Commissioner Sheamus off this island. But, to do that, we have to find where Boles took him.
Batman and I left the room and Oracle contacted us, "Batman! Nightshade! What's happening?"
"Joker's escaped. He's sealed himself off." Batman answered, then added in a sad tone, "He's got your father."
"Dad..." Oracle gasped.
"Don't worry. We're getting him back." Batman assured her.
"Okay, I know. But.." Oracle started, but I cut her off, "Faith, we're getting him back! Joker will not win. We won't let him!"
"We're starting where he was taken." Batman explained, "An officer, named Frank Boles, attacked him. If we find Frank, we'll find your father."
"Bruce. Ellie. Hurry, please." Oracle answered.
With that, we shut down communications and made our way to the Holding Cells.
Whispers in the Dark: Arkham Asylum
~Eleanor Wayne's POV~ Okay. Let me pick you guys up to speed. Batman and I were able to catch up to Joker, of course without bumping into Victor Zsasz and Harley Quinn.
And Joker set a large mutated human, which I called Titan, on us. The Titan didn't have much luck taking us out and died, due to its size on its heart.
As predictable as Joker can be, he disappeared off again. Batman and I tried to chase after him, but Joker threatened us with a hostage situation with Commissioner Sheamus.
Now, Batman and I have to find Faith's father and get him off this island, before catching up to Joker and stopping his upcoming scheme.
Batman and I made our way to the Holding Cells. We arrived to a hallway with tvs running down it. Joker's face appeared on the screens and he smiled, "I bet you're wondering how I did it. Was it a clue the Great Detective missed?"
He was sitting on a makeshift throne and the screen had 'Joker TV' crudely written on the top right corner, in some child-like or horror movie style font. And a standard camera 'Rec' signal on the bottom left corner. He's filming live, but where is he?
Joker laughed, then answered, "Oh, me and Frankie go way back. I got out of a spot of... Bother a few years ago. So, when I need security codes or an Eponian clubbed to the ground, I know just the man to ask."
Then his face vanished from the screen and it returned to static. Batman and I continued to follow the corridors and bumped into a couple of Blackgate thugs. We easily took them out and made it to the Holding Cells.
Batman and I entered the office and activated the comms, "Oracle, Nightshade and I are at the Holding Cells. I'm setting up a crime scene."
"So what's the plan? Isolate something in that room unique to Boles?" Oracle asked.
"Exactly." Batman answered.
I sniffed the air and covered my nose in disgust, "Ugh! This room stinks!"
Batman sniffed the air, "I don't smell anything."
I looked at him in slight shock, "You don't? It reeks of alcohol in here. Ivy's cell smelled better than here."
Pamela Isley used to be Gotham's most talented botanist. She loved flora and took good care of them, as well as try to help them adapt. However, over a year ago, one of her colleague's experiment has gone wrong and Isley was caught in the experiment.
The accident spliced her with plant DNA and replaced her blood with chlorophyll. Now, she's capable of communicating with any type of flora and command them to do her bidding. Alongside her talent in seduction, she uses pheromones to control the minds of weak-minded men. She calls herself Poison Ivy.
Like Waylon, she and I are good friends. Reason is because, being an empath, I can hear the voices of the plants. They behave more like whispers among each other. And all Ivy wants is to give plants a home again. Which is understandable.
"Alcohol?" He repeated, then he looked around and saw a flask on the ground. It was where the smell was strongest, "Boles dropped his flask."
I folded my arms, "Sloppy much?"
"Let's see what the forensic scanner picks up." He suggested. Batman walked over the flask and activated the detective vision of his cowl.
After a few seconds, Batman stood up and his detective vision started changing colors. He contacted Oracle again, "Oracle, I've got a trail."
Oracle sighed in relief, "That's great. You and Ellie follow it. I'm grabbing every reference to Arkham I can find. May be useful later."
The communication went on stand-by. Batman looked at me, "You sure you're able to keep up?"
I lightly smirked, "Are you kidding?" Then pointed to my nose, "I've had the whiff of alcohol since he started talking. I'm very sure."
With that, my father and I followed Officer Boles whiskey trail down the corridor. It lead straight to the elevator to intensive treatment. Oh boy...
Once we reached the registry, the phone started ringing. After a few rings, a female voice answered from the other side, "Hello! What's happening there? I'm trying to contact Steve. Is he there?"
"Hold one second. I'll see if I can find him." A familiar voice sang in reply. Joker...
The woman's voice sighed in relief, "Oh, thank you."
After a second of silence, Joker answered, "I'm sorry. I've looked everywhere, but I can only find his head. I'll get back to you when I find the rest of him."
Then he burst into a fit of laughter before he hung up the phone. I looked at my father. His eyes turned steely and he balled his hand into a tight fist. Good thing he was wearing his gauntlets. Any tighter and he'd be drawing blood.
Father was angry.
I put my hand over his shoulder. Father gave me a look. "Joker will pay for his crimes soon enough." I assured him, "But, we have to get Jim off this island."
He looked away for a second, then gave me a confident nod. The steel in his eyes was gone. Thank goodness.
Batman and I entered the room and started looking around. The guard continued to mutter, "Stupid, unreliable..." Then he saw us and asked, "How did Joker get free?"
"Be quiet." Batman told him.
"What's going on?" The guard asked.
Batman and I looked around the room. The trail of alcohol seemed to be flying upward. Officer Boles must've used the elevator and put it on lockdown once he reached the top.
Before any of us could react, Harley Quinn appeared on the support beam of the elevator.
"Uh, uh, uh, uh, you two. Mister J doesn't want you following us just yet." She told us in a tsk. With that, she pressed a button on a trigger.
There was a loud explosion above us and Harley was flew up. There was a sound of metal sliding and it was getting louder rapidly.
Quickly, Batman grabbed me and the guard, "Get down!"
He pushed us down for cover and he jumped out of the way as the elevator crashed down in front of us. Sparks flew and dust clouded the crash.
Once the collision cleared, the guard recovered and asked, "Oww, what the hell happened?"
I got back to my feet and dusted the debris and concrete off my overalls. I looked at Batman and saw the chest area of his suit had a tear.
I gasped, "Dad, your suit!"
"I'm fine. It's just a rip." He assured me.
I nodded and Harley spoke up from above us, "How did ya like that? No way you're following us now. You're trapped down there 'til me and Mister J are ready for you."
She ended with a cocky laugh. I looked up and around. There's always another route. Even if it isn't the most convenient.
Batman looked around, then at me, "Any chance you'll be able to teleport or fly us to the top?"
Yeah, you heard my father right, I have powers. But, I try not to use them often, because the others don't have powers. Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Alfred, not even Mr. Fox.
As I explained before, I'm an empath. Which means I'm able to sense emotions and hear the inner-inner thoughts of anything organic. My other abilities are related to teleportation, magic and astral manipulation.
I know these aren't normal powers for a Bat Eponian. I'm not even sure how I got them, but at least I know how to use them responsibly.
I folded my arms, my eyes not leaving the cliffs, "Unfortunately, it's out of my range." Then I looked at my father with a small smile, "But then again, where's the fun in taking the short route?"
Batman smiled back and grabbed his grapple. He used it climb up the nearest cliff and started climbing from there. I, on the other hand, put my parkour training with Robin and Nightwing to good use.
Once Batman was making his way through the first vent, Joker's voice spoke up from the intercoms, "Hey, Bats. Nellie. I know you two can hear me. I've got a little something for you to listen to. Harely and Frank are nearly out of the building with the old man. How are they going to get past all those guards? Let's have a listen, shall we?"
Me and my father met up on the other side of the vent. Then an audio security feed played.
"Hey Frank. Where you've been?" A voice asked. It sounded like one of the guards.
"Joker's got more men on the way." Officer Boles answered, "They're coming around the front of the asylum. Gotta stop them getting in! Quick! Get over there!"
After a second of silence, Officer Boles shouted, "Dammit! C'mon. Everyone! Cover the main entrance!"
"How many are out there, Boles?" The officer asked. Then he noticed something, "Wait, hang on, how the hell do you know what..."
Suddenly, there was a sound of gunshots.
"Boles!" Another officer shouted, "Frank, what are you doing? No! Put it down!"
Another round of gunshots.
"Frank! What the hell?"
More gunshots.
Then Officer Boles called, "Quinn. It's clear! Get your ass in here."
"You're some piece of work, Frankie." Harley answered, then she sighed, "A girl could fall for someone like you!"
I scoffed, "Yeah right. When she's not right in the head, or sheltered by her parents."
"Stop flirting with the hired help, Harley." Joker told her.
"Don't worry, sweetie. You know I only have eyes for you." Harley assured him.
Then Joker turned his attention to us, "Do you hear that? Sounds like Frankie is working out just fine. Another valuable employee for the organization."
Batman and I continued to climb up the elevator shaft until we found a stone tablet with a scarab attached and circular writing carved into it. I've seen this tablet before. I had one in my cell when I first came to Arkham.
Batman looked at me and asked, "What is it?"
"This tablet is a Chronicle of Arkham." I answered, rubbing my hand against the carving, "There are around twenty-three of these tablets all over the island. Said to have been left behind by Amadeus Arkham himself."
"Can you read it?" He asked me.
I nodded, "Of course." I followed the circular motion of the carvings and found the beginning was closer to the scarab and was written counter-clockwise. I read out loud,
'I am the spirit of Amadeus Arkham.
Through my actions, I have saved this cursed city, though my own curse is to forever remain in the shadows.
My story is carved into the very soul of Arkham and will only be revealed to those dedicated enough to discover it.'
I looked back at my father. He looked a little spaced out for a second. He regained his composure and used his grappler to reach the top. I'm starting to get worried about my father. He's been spacing out a bit since we got here. I've got to ask him about that.
I quickly followed after him. A group of inmates were standing around a dead guard. They were discussing on how easy taking over the facility was compared to just escaping.
Batman wasted no time striking them down. A couple got lucky and were aiming attack him from behind. However, I took them down with a surprise attack of my own.
Once the inmates were taken out, Oracle spoke up from our comms, "Batman. Nightshade. How's it going? Any sign of Dad?"
"Not yet, but we're getting close." Batman answered.
I shrugged, "Harley Quinn tried to slow us down. Dropped an elevator on us."
"Did it work?" Oracle asked.
Batman lightly smirked, "Heh, of course not. We'll get back to you when we've reached the end of the trail."
With that, the comms went back on stand-by. I walked over to the automatic doors, but they didn't move. I placed my hand over the center and sighed, "Dammit! Locked from the other side."
I heard the sound of metal creaking coming from my right. I looked over and saw Batman remove a ventilation grate. He gestured a 'ta-da' and entered the shaft.
I put my hands on my hips and smiled, "Show-off." Then followed after my father into the vent.
One the other end, I heard gunshots and a voice pleading, "Please, I've got a kid. You don't have to-" The voice went silent after another gunshot.
Batman quietly opened the grate and exit the vent. I followed after him and there were two dead guards. Bastards!
"You're right. I don't have to. I just want to." An inmate laughed, then instructed in a clear voice, "Okay, boss says no one gets past. Anything moves, shoot it!"
"You've got it! Anything coming this way is dead." Another inmate answered.
Good thing there was a wall between us and the inmates. Otherwise they would've seen us and shot us down.
Father contacted Oracle, "Oracle, Joker's men have taken control of the Cell Block Transfer corridor."
"That's not good." Oracle grimaced, "I patched into a guard radio. It sounds like Joker's crew have got their hands on weapons."
"Yeah, we know." I answered.
"I'll calibrate the cowl's vision mode to isolate armed henchmen." Batman informed.
I sniffed the air, "By the smell of gunpowder in the air, all of the men in this hallway are armed. It'll be suicide to use the straight-forward approach."
Batman nodded, "Indeed. You wait here, while I find a way to take them out."
I nodded and he used his grappler on a gargoyle above us and disappeared into the ceiling. I sat down with my back against the wall and waited for Batman's signal. I let my mind wander for a bit, until I heard a knock against metal.
I peeked past the wall and saw Batman standing between three out-cold henchmen. Huh. Talk about working fast.
I followed Batman down the corridor the forth man.
He was up a small flight of stairs, in an office, talking to Joker in about three monitors, "No problem, boss. The boys are finishing off. The Arkham chumps never stood a chance."
Both Batman and I crouched down before we were seen.
"Oh, good! Our friendly neighborhood rodent is on his way with his little Wayne friend." Joker smiled, then ordered, "You need to set a trap. They must not leave this building. Do you understand me?"
"...Y-yes, boss. The Bat is good as dead!" The thug replied nervously.
Batman and I looked at each other. He gave me a small smile and motioned to the armed thug. He wanted me to knock him out. I smiled back and silently crept up behind the thug. I didn't think Joker saw me.
"I hope you can keep your promises, boy. I hate that I have to go to punish your family just to teach you a lesson. Now I could promise you, they won't be laughing!" Joker warned and laughed at the bad joke.
"But, Joker..." The thug pleaded, not wanting his family to be killed by this maniac. Can't blame him either.
Joker stuttered mockingly to his comment, then ordered, "Just do it! And have fun. I know I will." He laughed afterwards.
I stood up, punched the thug in back and leaned him over my knee into a headlock. I covered his mouth with my free hand. He tried to fight back, but that only tightened my grip on him. After a few seconds, the thug fell limp and I gently put him down on the ground.
Joker looked at me and smiled, "Oh, look who it is! Are your pointy ears burning?" Batman entered the room behind me. Joker looked over his shoulder, "I suppose I better warn my boys that you're on the way..." Then an idea hit him, "Hey, maybe I won't... It'll be a nice surprise!"
He chuckled, then the screens returned to their normal stand-by mode. Without a doubt, the other doors are locked. Guess we have to take the ventilation again. Oh, well.
I walked over to the ventilation grate and removed it with great strength. Batman entered first, then myself.
Half way through the vents, Joker's voice sang through the intercoms, "Ding, ding, ding, dong. Arkham Asylum is now under new management. Here's a quick update on what's going on." Then he informed, "Attention. We have two escaped patients. One dresses like a bat. The other thinks she's human. What idiots! Should be considered costumed and dangerous."
I sighed and rolled my eyes at the poor report. So much for the element of surprise...
Batman reached the end and opened the other grate quietly, due to a Blackgate inmate in front of us. We reached the main lobby and entrance to Intensive Treatment.
"Personally, I think the best solution is to put the Bat out of his misery, and put the mutant back in her cage. They're the only reliable cure." Joker finished.
I teleported to the gargoyles while Batman took out the three guards with two Silent Takedowns and a gliding Ground Takedown.
Easy... Maybe a bit too easy...
Joker spoke up from the intercoms, "Did you really think it was going to be that easy, Bats? I've sent a few more of my boys your way. Let's see how you deal with these odds!"
Three more of Joker's thugs arrived from the entrance of the lobby.
"Joker wants the Bat and Wayne girl found! Spread out!" The leader ordered.
"They could be anywhere." One shouted in a panicked tone.
"Then keep your eyes open. Now move!" The leader replied.
The three henchmen entered the lobby and started looking around for me and Batman. I raised a brow and an idea hit me.
Batman stayed close to the control room and took out two of the henchmen with Silent Takedowns. He was going for the last, but I shook my head. I teleported behind the boiler near him and faked a cough.
The thug heard me, picked up his gun ready to shoot, and shouted, "Come out where I can see you!"
I raised my hands and walked out of my hiding place. The thug passed Batman without noticing.
"Please don't shoot me. I am unarmed and lost in this house of madness." I spoke in a fake, but genuine sounding, scared tone.
The thug kept his gun aimed at me, "Where's the Bat?"
I shook my head, "I dunno. We got separated along the elevator."
"The elevator?" He tilted his head and lowered his guard.
I twitched my left ear. Batman left his hiding spot and delivered a Silent Takedown. The thug fell limp and was placed on the ground.
Once everything calmed down, Batman looked at me and smirked, "Lost in this house of madness?"
I giggled and shrugged my shoulders, "Most believable thing I could come up with."
Joker spoke up from the intercoms, "Oh, those were the easy ones. I'm just playin' with ya. You'll see."
Batman and I made our way through the lobby and into the entrance. By the door, there was Officer Boles on a gurney. The same gurney that Joker was in before all this. His face was painted with a huge green smile and a clipboard chained to his legs with the words 'Dead End' written in blood.
Did I mention Officer Boles was dead? No? Okay, he's dead.
"Joker must have figured out how we've were tracking Gordon. Officer Boles' trail stops here." Batman noted.
I balled my hands into fists of anger, "So much for hired help."
Before my father could reply, there was a noise of static coming from the comms. Then a familiar voice cleared from the static.
"Can you hear me, Batman? I know you can."
The static cleared and Father started typing on his gauntlet.
The voice continued, "Yes, it is I, Edward Nygma, the Riddler and more importantly your intellectual superior. My genius has allowed me to easily hack into your primitive communications."
I sighed in light annoyance. Here we go again.
Edward Nygma, or Riddler, is a criminal hacker that used to work for GCPD. However, he has a problem; An obsessive compulsive need for attention and to try and finally outsmart Batman or myself. Don't get me wrong, he is a very clever man, but he's insane. And insanity makes things obvious.
"My goal is simple!" Nygma hissed, then explained, "You complete a series of amusingly taxing challenges and, well, you'll see. Ready for your first one? Good. But be careful!"
"Don't CUT yourself for this portrait is quite a CINCH. "
"Okay, Nygma. You made that one way to easy." I spoke up.
Father nodded, "Indeed."
He walked over to the portrait of Warden Cinch and his cowl's eyes glowed green for a second.
Nygma spoke up again, "So you did it. Well done. I would have expected a child to work that one out, let alone the World's Greatest Detective."
I shook my head, "Not funny, Nygma."
"He's gone. For now." Batman told me. I sighed.
Then a metal door opened to reveal Officer North. Thank God another good guard still alive.
"I'm over here, Batman." He called.
Batman and I jumped down and joined Officer North in a secret passage.
"It was a massacre. Boles came walking in telling everyone to cover the front entrance. Said something about Joker's army coming through the main gate!" North explained what happened, "Two of my guys moved to the exit and Frank shot 'em dead. Never stood a chance."
"Was Boles alone?" Batman asked.
North shook his head, "Thought he was, then I saw Harley Quinn. She was surrounded by Blackgate prisoners. They were just killing everyone in the room! I ha no choice! I got in here. Locked the door. I could see it on the security feed. They had someone with them, it looked like the Commissioner."
"Boles is dead." I informed him, "They carried on without him. Must have outlived his usefulness."
North lightly smiled and nodded, "Good! He was scum."
Whispers in the Dark: Arkham Asylum
~Eleanor Wayne's POV~
Time to catch you guys up to speed from where we left off. Batman and I were able to find something to track Officer Boles to Commissioner Sheamus. However, we ran into a few obsticles. Such as Harley Quinn dropping an elevator on top of us and the trail lead to a dead end. And I literally mean DEAD.
Thanks to Officer North, Batman and I finally have an exit from Intensive Treatment. Now we can continue our search for Commissioner Sheamus and get him the hell off this island.
After our conversation with Officer North, he walked slowly to a dead comrade on the floor in the room. He knelt down and closed his eyes respectfully.
"I'm sorry, buddy." He said solemnly.
I cannot imagine what it's like to lose a close friend or a member of your family. I lost my boyfriend to the Joker, and Batman lost his parents to a hired thug/assassin.
It is our sole duty to protect the city from the criminal scum that is trying to claim more lives and ruin innocence.
I quickly followed Batman through the door leading to the Utility Corridor. Before moving on, I spotted one of the many Riddler trophies that Nygma said he hid all over Arkham Island. It was hiding behind a weak, cracked concrete wall. I think we need some controlled explosive to destroy it.
Then, I heard a tune in the distance. I can hear it, it sounds like one of Gotham's news channels, the Jack Ryder Show.
Jack Ryder is very narcissistic about his job, reason why I dislike him, but not too much, only his egotism I dislike.
On a creaky bench, there was a radio. The radio was small and in a rectangular cuboid shape and the channel it's on was '134.5 FM: Gotham Radio, Jack Ryder'.
The music stopped as it switched on to the news. Batman and I listened:
"We apologized for this interruption of our regular broadcast. Jack Ryder is live from the Gotham Bay area with some breaking news!" A reporter announced before switching to the host, Jack Ryder.
"This is Jack Ryder with breaking news in the Gotham Bay. We’re getting reports of an armed siege on Arkham Island. Two minutes ago, Joker broadcasts all news channels with this chilling message." Jack reported before switching to the message by the demented clown-like psychopath.
Batman looked at me, then looked at the pitch black corner of the locker room. I looked and nodded in understanding. I entered the dark part of the corner and started changing into my alter-ego: Nightshade. Batman turned around, so I could only see his cape.
"Greetings, Gotham. This is the voice of your new master!" Joker started in a low and chilling tone, until he returned to normal and noticed something, "Oh, hang on... I skipped a bit!"
I pressed the button on my pendant, as Joker cleared his throat, "Ahem, Joker here! I'm in control of Arkham Island and you can all consider it out of bounds! If I see any lawmen, vigilantes, or do-gooders in tights coming this way, I'll start detonating random bombs around the city."
Guess Robin and Nightwing are gonna be very occupied in the city then.
Then Joker asked, "What'll it be? A kindergarten? A hospital? A billionaire’s mansion?" He chuckled like a kid in a candy store, "Choices, choices, choices!"
"All access to the island has been restricted. Air spaces closed off and earlier reports suggest that Batman himself is trapped on the island, along with the Heir of Wayne Enterprises; Eleanor Wayne. We'll be right here coming to you live on any developments. Back to the studio." Jack finished and switched back to the main studio.
“Thanks, Jack. More into it as it happens,” The studio announced, as the radio returned to its scheduled music tunes.
I put my civilian clothes into an abandoned locker next to me, as Father spoke up, "Are you done?" He asked me.
I stepped out of the shadows and answered, "Yup."
Father turned and looked at me. He gave me a small smile. I smiled back.
As Nightshade, I wear a black and purple armored, hooded wetsuit with no sleeves and short leggings that met just above my knees. A pair of black armored gauntlets with computer-like functions. Kinda like Batman's gauntlets. A black domino mask over my eyes. A black utility belt around my waist and I wear no shoes.
Hooves for feet. Why bother, right?
Anywho, Batman and exit the locker room, by a door on the other side. It lead to a small space with numerous stacks of paper or files. Batman spotted a ventilation grate and forced it open. I followed Batman through the shaft.
I started to hear rain coming from around us. We must be out of the building and inside a hillside cave just outside Arkham Mansion. We made it to the exit and Batman pushed the exit open.
Batman and I landed on the solid ground that is leading outside. I have to admit. It felt good to feel soft ground under my hooves. The flooring of the Asylum is so out of balance, I can understand why humans need to wear shoes.
My father and I reached a ledge and climbed it our own way. Father by grapple. Me by running up it. We walked out of the cave and took in the site of the main part of Arkham Island.
The Mansion. The Botanical Gardens. The Graveyard. You can even see Gotham and my family's tower from across the bay. The large full moon and the rain just added to the serene atmosphere of the island.
I took a deep breath of the wet air around me and gave a small stretch of my arms and wings. You could smell the fragrances of the flora in the Botanical Gardens from all over Arkham. It felt welcoming, but haunting at the same time. Made me feel relaxed.
However, I didn't have time to relax. We had to find Commissioner Sheamus.
My father wasted no time to let the scenery sink in, as he used his cape to glide down to the main level of the island. I stretched out my wings and followed after him.
I don't use capes for a few good reasons. But, I'm gonna let you viewers guess what those are.
As soon as my hooves touched the grass of the ground, a distorted version of the intercom tune played, followed by Joker's voice.
"Hmm, Harley tells me that the Batman's car is still parked just outside of the Intensive Treatment building. Now, we can’t just have him up and leave us, can we? Every thug, villain, murderer, and kindergarten teacher that isn't carrying out party orders, should head down now and smash it to pieces!"
I lightly sighed in slight annoyance. Father arrived in such a hurry, he must have forgotten to put the safe lock on. Luck must be on my side, since I parked my motorcycle outside the main gates.
I switched on my comm and told Oracle, "Oracle, disable the Batmobile’s countermeasure system."
"I saw the alert, what’s wrong? Where are you?" She asked.
"Father and I are just outside Arkham Mansion. Harley must've triggered the alarm." I answered, "If she's still got your father with her, he could get hurt."
Oracle nodded, "Okay, done!" Then she added, "The Batmobile is parked outside of the Intensive Treatment building in Arkham North. I've sent you both the schematics of the entire island. I've also marked key locations just like the car."
I nodded, "Thanks, Oracle. Father's gonna need 'em."
I put the comms on stand-by and started looking my father. He left in such a hurry I didn't see where he was going. Good thing my empathy can allow me to see trails of certain auras. I focused my thoughts on my father and sensed his aura on the other side of the right garden gate of Arkham Mansion.
Without a moment of thought or hesitation, I teleported to his location. Father was staring at another plaque of Arkham's Chronicles.
"There you are. Did you hear? The Batmobile's under attack." I informed as I reappeared.
Father looked at me, "Sorry. I got caught up." Then he looked back at the plaque, "Can you read this?"
I looked at the plaque, then looked at my father, "Sure."
I knelt down to the plaque and started reading out loud,
'My family's blood ran through the heart of Gotham.
We were doctors, politicians, and teachers; we have been the organ cleaning the arterial filth from the city.
We have been its servants giving all to protect it. And it has still chosen to hurt us.'
Like before, Father stared blankly at the plaque. His eyes told me he was deep in thought, but his aura told me something completely different.
Cautious, I waved my hand over his face, "Batman? Arkham to Batman."
Batman blinked and looked at me, "Did you say something?"
I folded my arms, "No. But you've been blanking out a bit lately." Then I asked in a genuine worried tone, "You feeling alright?"
Father shook his head, "I'll be fine. Make your way to Arkham North. I'll meet you there in a minute."
"But, Dad-" I was about to interject, but he used his grapple and disappeared into the balcony.
I sighed and made my way to Arkham North. I walked to the gate as it opened. Inside, an archway made of stones and bricks hover over.
In front, an ambulance is parked, with its lights blinking incessantly. I sensed two armed Blackgate inmates on the other side of the archway, ready for anything in front of them.
Unfortunately, the ambulance barricade left a guard dead from gunshot wounds. Another guard was alive and looking over the deceased comrade.
I walked over to the guard. He looked at me and gasped, "Nightshade? How did you get here?"
"I was in the neighborhood. Thought I'd stop by and see if I could help out." I answered casually. Dang that felt cliched.
The guard shook his head and lightly smiled, "Well, I'm glad someone is here, who knows what she's doing." The his smile faded, "I can't believe it, they killed Jackson."
"Stay with your colleague." I told him, then added, "If you see Batman. Tell him I'm on the other side. He'll know what it means."
He nodded in understanding. With that, I made my way to the top of the archway by climbing the ambulance and being swift, avoiding the armed threats' attention.
I silently climbed down to the ground behind them. I snuck on one and muffled his mouth and throat, silencing his screams. He fell silently.
The next inmate, I kicked the back of his knee and put him into a Sleeper Hold, "Ssshhh..." He fell limp and quiet.
With the threats taken care of, I walked through another mechanical door, automatically opening, leading me to North Arkham.
As I suspected, I spotted six Blackgate inmates vandalizing Father's Batmobile with pipes and weapons. It’s extremely durable but it had several dents in the body and the windshield is cracked by the many blunt blows.
I continued to walk towards them to end this nonessential vandalism.
Some were hitting the vehicle with metal pipes and some were kicking it and some standing, observing the gradual damage of the vehicle.
Luckily for them, I disabled the countermeasure of the Batmobile. If it was still active, they would be fried by now. I threw a batarang at one, knocking him down. The other five were alarmed as I walk smoothly towards them, with fear in their eyes.
"It's Nightshade! How did she get here?!" One shouted.
I charged toward the henchmen, as another distorted chime rang and Joker spoke again,
"The entire island will soon be under my control! That’s right, boys and girls. Mine! Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine! Just wait until you see my plans for the place. It's going to be glorious!" He announced, cackling afterwards.
I took out the henchmen with ease. When you've been learning martial arts since you were a child, you're truly a deadly force to be reckoned with.
Once the last henchmen fell to the ground and I re-adjusted my gauntlets, the gate to Arkham Mansion and the Botanical Gardens opened to reveal Batman.
I turned and folded my arms with a small smirk, "What took you so long?"
Batman gave me a glare, "I told you to wait at the gate."
I unfolded my arms and looked at him dead in the eyes, "And let Harley get away? Dad, this Asylum, Joker and Nygma's taunts are getting into your head. Don't let them. That means they win."
My father looked at me. His glare softened. He knew I was right. Then he walked toward the trunk of the Batmobile. The trunk opened, and he grabbed a gadget. It looked like explosive gel.
Then Batman closed the trunk and looked around, "Harley trashed the car. Looks like there was a scuffle."
I nodded then pointed out, "Maybe Sheamus left something behind for us to follow."
Batman nodded. We began looking around for clues. I started searching the ground. A strange and familiar scent reached my nose. It smelled like burning leaves with an addicting scent.
Tobacco smoke!
I followed the scent and spotted a wooden tobacco pipe on the ground. Some of the ash was laying next to the pipe. I picked up the pipe. It had the initials 'S. A. S' written on it.
Sheamus Arthur Smith.
"Dad. I think I found Sheamus' pipe." I alerted.
Father walked over and looked at the pipe, "Strange. Faith gave this to him. There's no way he'd leave it."
I nodded in agreement. Curious, I dipped my finger into the pipe. I sniffed the remaining ash. I know that scent too well.
Recognition hit me and I gasped, "Wild Country! Sheamus' favorite tobacco."
Father nodded, "Sheamus is smarter than he looks! Left us a trail to follow."
His cowl's eyes started switching colors. I quickly contacted Oracle.
"Oracle. We found a pipe. It has your father's initials carved on it." I informed her.
"It was a birthday gift I gave him last year. There's no way he'd leave it." Oracle added sadly.
I nodded, "Exactly. He's left us a trail to follow. He’s alive, Faith."
With that, Father and I followed the trial of tobacco. Father via his forensic vision and I via my sense of smell. The intercom tune chimed again. This time, it was back to normal.
Joker spoke from the intercoms, "Anyone seen the big bad Bat? I warn you. He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot, but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot." He cackled and went silent again.
"That's not funny, Joker!" I shouted to the speakers at the door to Intensive Treatment, as Father wondered off toward the main gate.
Without a doubt he didn't hear me. Oh well. I needed to get that out.
"Nigthshade! I found another plaque." I heard Father shout from the worn out building that leads to the sewers of the island.
I teleported to my father's location and saw the plaque. Obvious that he wanted me to read it out to him, I knelt to eye-level with the stone tablet and read it out loud,
'As Gotham's veins slowly filled with pain and suffering, the effects were felt everywhere.
My father fell first, infected with some foul disease; my mother lived on, but only in a dream.
I returned to the family home to care for her where she remained in her bed for as long as her body continued to breathe.
Her tears kept me awake at night.'
My ears picked up on something below. I followed my ears and saw a glowing green question mark. Another Riddler Trophy. I jumped down and aimed to pick it up. However, the moment my fingers touched the question mark, it shocked me with strong static.
I quickly retreated my hand and took a step, "Ow! Damn it!"
"Sorry, Shade. This is Batman's challenge. Not yours." Nygma told me over the comms, with a laugh in his tone.
I sighed and shrugged my shoulders in a sarcastic tone, "Oh, thanks for the heads up, Nygma."
Then Joker started rambling randomly over the intercoms. While Batman continued to look for Riddler's trophies and solves his riddles within the area.
I sighed and made my way to the door to Arkham West. I checked the security door and it was locked. Damn! I looked over and saw a weak concrete wall. Must lead to a hidden door on the other side. This security door was always faulty.
I walked over to the concrete wall and started attacking the wall with blades of shadow matter. After five slashes, the wall started to look like it was going to collapse upon itself. I gave a final kick and the wall fell apart, giving passage to the tunnel.
"Now you're showing off." I heard my father's voice speak from behind me.
I turned and light-heartedly shrugged, "Hey. Saves explosive gel, doesn't it?"
Father thought for a second, then nodded, "Fair enough."
With that, Father and I entered the tunnel, following the tobacco trail to Sheamus and Harley Quinn.
Whispers in the Dark: Arkham Asylum
~Eleanor Wayne/Nightshade's POV~
I opened the door that lead inside a pathway with aqueducts above me. The aqueducts were old and unused. They remained in stony lonesome without any water flowing through their grooves.
Grassy shrubbery was scarce in the area and cracks and crumbled walls threatened the instability of the area. Batman and I followed down a slope that lead to a door that connected to West Arkham.
The door opened and Batman and I were on the right track of following Commissioner Sheamus' Wild Country tobacco on the ground.
A stony archway was on my far left, over a shallow ravine. A wooden bridge was one of the leading pathways that lead to the Visiting Center on my right.
The Visiting Center was a place the builders added for hard-core prisoners incarcerated in the Penitentiary, next door of the Visiting Center, to well, you know, visits their relatives. Only the Spirits of Madness knows what Joker has done to it now.
On the far end of the segment, across from the Penitentiary and the Visiting Center was one of the biggest facilities of the Island: The Medical Facility. That is where Harley took Oracle's father.
Shrubbery had overgrown the ground and the walls of the Visiting Center. Bare brambles and lengthy vines covered the entrance of the Penitentiary. Above the Penitentiary was an upper floor that lead to a control room, barricaded.
One watchtower stood over the Western side of Arkham Island. Also, there was a flight of stairs at the very bottom of the island that lead to the upper platform that enters anyone in the Penitentiary. In addition, an inactive lift is placed at the bottom of the Medical Facility. But there was a flight of stairs in case the lift is not working.
I turned and spotted two henchmen at the Visiting Center, but they are not minding mine or Batman's presence. They appeared to be working on a constructive project on the entrance of the Visiting Center. Two Eponians, one Earth and the other a Unicorn, were hammering the nails of painted wood and boards on the frontal wall of the Center.
I felt Batman's aura tense, as if he was ready to attack, but I stopped him. "Leave these men be. I'm very sure they wont hurt us." I told him in a whisper, "But I sense Joker has something inside the Visiting Center."
"I'm going to see. You resume on the trail to Sheamus, or look for survivors." Batman told me.
I nodded, "Be careful, Dad. Only Discord knows what he has planned in there."
With that, Batman made his way to the Visiting Center and I ran to the watchtower to look for any survivors. I found another deceased body but luckily, I found another guard.
The guard turned to me and gasped, "Nightshade? How did you get here?" Then he shook his head, "Never mind. What's going on? The crazies are moving towards the Medial Facility. What's Joker doing?” he asked anxiously.
"He's trying to take control of the island piece by piece. It looks like Medical is his next target." I answered, then asked, "Has anyone got out of the building?"
"I saw a doctor trying to get out.... He was torn apart... Thrown in the water. He never stood a chance." The guard answered somberly.
"Wait here and stay safe. If you see Batman, tell him I'll be in Medical." I instructed.
The guard nodded returned to his hiding spot. I looked over to Medical and saw six Blackgate inmates. Three Eponians, one Zebran, one Griffon and a Changeling. They must be the ones that killed the escaped doctor the guard mentioned. I guess I had to deal with them before continuing. I made my way down from the watchtower when the distorted intercom chime rang.
"I don't know about you, but I'm having a great time." Joker started in a light tone, then grew in anger, "You guys just make it look too easy. Like you're not even trying. Which is now what I pay you to do. Find everyone. Now!"
I ran up the stairs to the main entrance to the Medical Facility. I threw a batarang at the Zebran inmate's head.
"It's Nightshade! How did she get here?!" He alerted, then dashed toward me to attack.
The others joined him, but I was able to fight back and take them out with a fluid motion of martial arts. Once all six inmates were out, I used my shadow matter to destroy three chattering teeth in front of the entrance. Really hard to think with all that repeated laughing and chattering.
The intercom chime rang again and Joker spoke again, "I just want everypony to know that I…I really appreciate all the hard work. You know, watching you guys is like a night-in, watching my favorite movie." Then he sounded in thought, "What’s the name of the movie again? Oh yes: Attack of the Stupid-Bumbling-Idiots-Who-Can't-Stop-An-Even-Bigger-Idiot-Running-Around-Dressed-Like-A-Bat-! Now get to it!" He yawned, "I'm getting bored."
I rolled my eyes and opened the door to enter the Medical Facility. Joker should have known I would never back down from a challenge, or leave my father to fight any criminal on his own. I know Batman can handle himself well, but he's not Superman! Or Martian Manhunter.
Inside the Medical Facility, I entered the Medical Foyer. The foyer was like your everyday foyer in any medical institution. A desk, chairs, and a small TV screen mounted on the pillars.
What I expected was Harley Quinn being there. Which she was. She is calmly sitting on the chair, humming a tune while filing her nails innocently. I noticed that an electrical barrier was the only protection between her and me.
She stopped her tune when she noticed me, "Nightshade? What are you doing here?" She exclaimed, then calmed and barked, "Who cares? Scram, Nightie. This is my 'me' time."
"Where's Commissioner Sheamus?" I asked darkly.
"Wouldn't you like to know-" She replied rudely before she was interrupted by another voice, "I'm over here!"
It was Commissioner Sheamus. He's okay! Thank Luna.
"Shut up!" Harley barked, throwing a cup of coffee across the room.
"Ow!" Commissioner Sheamus yelped, then hissed in anger, "You crazy bitch!"
Just then, the screen on the wall in front of me switched on to reveal Joker. "Harley!" He cried out.
Harley let out a startled shriek and turned to the tv.
Joker looked at me and exclaimed at Harley, "What's she doing here? It's too early!"
Harley got up from her chair and walked seductively to the tv, planting her gloved hands on the screen, "I'm sorry, pudding. Don't be angry with me."
She smooched the tv screen in a loving affection.
"Oh, you little minx. I can never stay mad at you." Joker replied in the same manner before switching off.
Harley turned to me, "Sorry, Nightie. You and B-Man will have to find another way." Then she waved, "Bye-bye now!" She turned around and did several back-flips, out of sight.
I balled my hands into fists. The electrical barrier was stopping me from following Harley. I had to find another way into the building.
The secondary roof! Of course!
One of the inmates tried to escape through the secondary roof a few months back. Ended up dying due to a malfunction with his bomb. It leads straight to the Maintenance Access! The opening should still be in reconstruction, knowing Cinch.
I exit the entrance to bump into my father.
"Dad. What took you so long?" I greeted.
"Did you find Sheamus?" He asked me, getting straight to the point.
I nodded, "Yeah, he's okay. But I couldn't get to him. Harley was there too. An electrical barrier is blocking the main entrance." I told him, "There's another route up in the secondary roof. It leads to the Maintenance Access, which goes straight to the Sanatorium."
Father put his hand over my shoulder, "Good work, Ellie. Let's go."
With that, he used his grapple to reach the roof. I lightly smiled. Father's face might have been the usual Batman-scowl, but his tone showed praised and his aura showed he was proud of me.
I quickly climbed to the roof and saw Batman use his Explosive Gel to force an entry through the wooden, weak concrete and cardboard covering of the hole in the roof. Reconstruction wasn't complete. As I thought.
I quickly followed my father through the door and into the Maintenance Access. The Maintenance Access was a series of ventilation ducts and girders for janitorial and custodial uses. Father and I climbed over the girder in front of us and spotted a ventilation grate.
Joker's voice gave me a small startle, as this time the intercom chime didn't ring, "I want all the doctors rounded up, search every inch of the Medical building!" Father pulled the grate from its bolts with powerful force, "I mean it; search every room, every corner, and every trash can!" Father and I entered the vent and followed it through, "If another doctor tries to run and get out of the building, then you don't! I'll just flood the room with Happy Gas and leave you to die! Hell, I might do that anyway, sounds fun."
Father and I followed through the vents and empty hallways until we reached the Sanatorium.
The Sanatorium was one of the biggest areas of the Medical Facility. The Sanatorium helps out patients, mild or hard-core, for patient interviews, examination, and mental treatments.
A walkway with two stairs and ladders connected the lower and upper platforms of the room. At the bottom, showers and an area with a gigantic cell in it.
Waylon's old cell, until they couldn't keep him in there anymore and dumped into the sewer network under Intensive Treatment.
On the far left of the Sanatorium were the examination rooms for interviews. There were five in total and one the far right, a small office-like box had all medications for the Facility. Enormous ceiling fans hung from the ceiling. It looked like one of the largest sanatoriums in your everyday mental institute.
I peered through a fence of the duct and spotted five armed Blackgate inmates holding innocent doctors hostage. One of the doctors was a female Pegasus Eponian with light blue fur, red mane and tail, tied in a bun, and sharp green eyes. Dr. Sarah Cassidy. She was trying to refuse their barked orders.
"Get off of me!" She shouted.
The thug ordered threateningly when he shoved her in front of the elevator, "Get down with the others, move it!"
Dr. Cassidy flinched from the gun aiming at her head, "Okay, okay. I hear you. I'm going."
She walked slowly with the gun at the back of her to the front of an elevator on the upper level of the Sanatorium. She curled into a tiny ball and cried softly amongst the other terrified doctors.
"Why does Joker need the doctors?" Father wondered.
"I have a hunch, but we have to save them first." I answered.
With that, Batman and I followed the vent to somewhere wide enough for us to split up and take out the henchmen quietly.
Batman continued to follow the vents, whilst I teleported to the gargoyles. I noticed three of the henchmen were staying near the elevator.
One in front of the elevator. One on the other side of the interview room and the other inside the medical supplies. I can take care of these three, while Batman can do what he does and take out the two roaming the levels.
I teleported to the gargoyle above the henchman guarding the elevator, used my tail to hang up-side down and took out the henchman with my own version of an Inverted Takedown.
Batman drops the victim and hangs him up-side down, so he could scream. I hang up-down and combine and Silent Takedown. One of the reasons they call me the Child of the Night. No-one knows it was me, until they put the pieces together.
Dr. Cassidy noticed the henchman dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes. She looked and saw me behind her teared-up eyes and running mascara.
"Nightshade?" She asked quietly and shakenly.
I put my finger over my mouth and teleported to the gargoyles on the other side of the room. I snapped my fingers and the two bombs I set up in the weak concrete structures detonated, knocking the two other henchmen out-cold.
Taken the explosions as signals, Batman took out the other two henchmen in their startled and panicked states.
"The room's secure, you're safe now!" I called out, once everything calmed down.
"Hello? Is there a doctor in the house? No? Pity. I seem to have a pile of wounded henchmen that need medical attention." Joker spoke up from the intercoms.
I teleported and joined up with Batman and the doctors near the elevator.
"I don't know what happened. One minute, we were doing our evening rounds and the next, armed thugs burst into the room and took us hostage." Dr. Cassidy explained what happened that brought them to their previous predicament.
"Did they have anyone with them?" Batman asked.
"They took someone to the elevator, I couldn't tell who it was." She answered.
"They obviously didn't want to be followed. The elevator appears to be powered down." I summarized, then asked, "You're going to be okay?"
"We'll be fine." Dr. Cassidy answered.
"What about the others? We heard gunfire. They could be dead! We should go and help." A doctor in green nurse scrubs asked. I quickly recognized him as the Zebran doctor that examined Joker from the Cell Block Transfer, before all this madness started.
Then Dr. Cassidy gasped, "Oh no, I forgot! Dr. Kellerman is in the Observation Room and Dr. Chen went to Surgery."
"And Dr. Redheart went to X-ray." The Nurse finished.
"Okay, stay here. Batman and I will find the other doctors." I told the medical staff..
Dr. Cassidy nodded and walked over to the other staff that were strapped on the gurneys near the exit. Batman and I exit the Sanatorium and split up to find the other three hostages.
I exited out of the Sanatorium at the bottom of the area and entered the Upper Corridor that leads to these three medical examination rooms to rescue the three hostages.
Whispers in the Dark: Arkham Asylum
~Eleanor Wayne/Nightshade's POV~
Batman and I entered the corridor. Up the stairs, to the Upper Corridor, there were several dead medical doctors lying on the floor with fear in their eyes and bodies bent in morbid angles. Pieces of medical supplies and Joker's equipment scatter the corridors.
Joker's been busy.
What was peculiar of the deranged scene are three colored lines that lead to Observation, Surgery and X-Ray. Blue, red, and yellow.
The two darker lines were lined together up the stairs, at the left side before they separate to their destinations at a crossroad. The yellow one is the longest and the loneliest.
Batman and I followed the blue and red one that leads to one of the rooms. Unlike the chime, there were several monitors mounted on the ceiling, with the announcer speaking its daily speeches.
Batman and I followed the red and blue lines that are parallel to each other in the corridor before they are separated horizontally to separate rooms.
"A happy Patient is a quiet patient." The announcer stated.
I shook my head at the statement. I wish they changed that phrase. It sounds creepy and apathetic. Like the doctors don't care about their patients. Let me tell you, there are good doctors here. It's just a matter of finding them.
Then Warden Cinch appeared on the monitor screens, "Let me introduce you to the sterling work of our new head of research, Dr. Rachel Redheart. Since joining our team two years ago, Arkham is now the full research of understanding the human mind." Warden Sharp announced.
The monitor switched to a familiar Earth Eponian with light pink mane and sapphire eyes. I recognized her as the doctor that cowered behind the guards when Joker arrived. Dr. Rachel Redheart.
One of Joker's well-known psychiatrist amongst the others and the most persistent of all, demanding Joker's treatment unlike the other psychiatrists. She actually believes she can cure him.
Batman and I reached the crossroads, as Dr. Redheart started her introduction. I turned to my father, "Dad, I'll take care of Observation and Surgery. You go back to X-Ray."
"Are you sure you can handle yourself?" He asked me.
I nodded, "I'll be fine. The apple never falls far from the tree, remember?"
With that, I followed the red path to Surgery and entered the large room. Inside, there was a staircase to my left leading to an upper level of the room.
It was very small and in front of me is a human doctor that has a very distinct foreign look, most likely Japanese or Chinese. It was a senior male with a gray hairline and he looked frightened.
Dr. Chen.
He appeared to be strapped in a gurney in front of mounted television monitors that were showing his face. He was amongst an IV machine with bags with various blood samples, but they weren't tied to him. Good. He struggled to get free of the gurney’s strap but to not avail.
I walked towards him to help.
Dr. Chen glanced over and saw me approaching him, "Nightshade! How did you get here?"
"Don't speak, doctor. You're safe now." I assured him.
"But… It’s a trap!" He told me.
I nodded, "I know. It's for my father, not me."
I looked up expectedly and saw the screens switched to my deranged former adopted father.
Joker gasped, "It's true! You really are the daughter of the World's Greatest Detective! How did you do that, Nightie?" He scratched his head, then sighed, "Oh, what the hell. Get down there boys. See if she can detect being punched in the face."
I looked up at the upper floor and spotted several Blackgate inmates looking from the railing. Four of them jumped over and landed in front me, ready for combat.
I took out all four of the inmates with a fast and fluid combination of martial arts and teleportation.
"What are you waiting for? April Fool’s Day? Get down there now!" Joker shouted as I took out three of the inmates.
Four more inmates jumped down and fought me. With ease, I took them out too.
Once all of the inmates were down and out for the count, and I adjusted my gauntlets, Joker spoke up, "Don't get too full of yourself, Nights. I'm just softening you and Bats up! Think of this as a preview, to the main event. you'll see!"
Then the monitors switched back to stand-by mode. I tilted my head at his words. It sounded like a warning with a tease. But, I couldn't be too sure. I shook my head and rescued Dr. Chen from the gurney. He rose up from the gurney, still laying down, but relaxed.
Dr. Chen looked at me, "I'm sorry. I tried to tell you. I couldn’t speak." He apologized.
I waved my hand, "It's okay. You're safe now. Batman and I can handle these thugs easily."
With that, I left the Surgery Room to make my way to the Observation Room.
Back in the Upper Corridor, I spotted a box laid out in the middle of the hallway. It was very obvious it was left by Joker. It was purple with light vertical pattern straps and it was wrapped in green ribbon.
As I walked towards the box, it burst open. A light purple gas spewed out, with three chattering joke teeth, and a small party horn played when it opened.
Annoyed, I snapped my fingers and shadow matter destroyed the three joke teeth at once. Then I made my way down the corridor to follow the blue path to Observation.
"A happy patient is a quiet patient." The announcer repeated.
Then Dr. Redheart appeared on the monitors, "Our findings make debates about whether psychosis and its self-neurotoxin, and it whether potentially damage the changing of the brain relating to psychotic excess. 'Project Titan' allows us to strengthen the individual's abilities to cope with such changes. Earlier results were promising but it was only after the arrival of 'Patient X' that our expectations were raised. Patient X was the catalyst that leads to the full scale adoption of the Titan Project. We must all thank our benefactors for this opportunity."
I remembered Dr. Redheart mentioning something about Project Titan. It's suppose to be a mental enhancement drug designed to help inmates cope with their diagnosed psychosis. 'Patient X' was the catalyst for the drug.
Who is Patient X? I wish I didn't know, but I do.
I was halfway down the double-colored path, as Joker appeared on the monitors again, "Oh, I'm not sure I could keep it a secret any longer! I've got two old friends coming to the party!" He exclaimed, giddy with excitement, "One of them is just terrified you'll leave without saying hello! The other…well, let’s just say he's going to be as surprised when he sees you, as you will be to see him."
I tilted my head in slight confusion. My best guess was that the message was meant for Batman. Two more guests to the party? Wonder who they could be...
"When Amadeus Arkham built this fine institution, few would have believed it could be the premiere psychiatric evaluation and rehabilitation center it has become. Everyone knows the stories of the various so-called 'super criminals' who’ve been treated here, but that’s only half of the story. Our low security wings offered normal but troubled individuals a safe haven for recovery. We represent all medical specialties and offered a wide range of medical, surgical, diagnostic and wellness programs."
I followed the blue path and heard a rough voice at the end of a corner that lead inside the Observation Room.
"Who’s the guard?" A thug asked.
"That mean son of a bitch is Cash." Another answered.
"How'd he get the hook?" The former asked.
"What's wrong with you? Don't you know nothin'?" The latter exclaimed, then answered, "Cash had a disagreement with Killer Croc a while back. Croc got free, and chowed down on Cash's hand."
"Jeez..." The former sighed.
The latter nodded, "Yeah. So if you see a giant monster running at you, just shoot it! Or you'll be next on the menu."
I teleported between the two inmates and knocked them both out by bashing their heads together.
I entered through the double doors and found two more inmates outside of Observation. The other side of the glass, I could see an African-American security guard with a Unicorn Eponian doctor. The guard had an iron hook for his left hand.
Aaron Cash.
"Boss, it's done. The room is full of gas and Captain Hook is stuck in there. Thing is, Razor didn't get out in time, he stuck in there too." One of the two inmates calling informed over a walkie-talkie.
"Well, that will teach him to dilly-dally." Joker answered from the other end of the talkie, "Don't let anyone out of there. Even Razor. He's failed me and I don't like failures."
The inmate nodded, "Yeah, sure, boss. He was slowin' us down anyway!" Then he lowered the talkie and looked at Cash, "Don't cry, Cash. You're right where we want you."
That only agitated Cash, as he shouted, "I'm gonna get outta here and you're gonna wish you were back in your cell."
I snuck up behind the two inmates and did the same thing I did to knock out the previous two inmates.
Cash looked at me with surprise, "Nightshade? How did you get here? I thought Joker said to Gotham to stay away from the island."
"I was already here when all this happened." I answered, then asked, "What happened, Cash?"
"There was an alarm in Medical. I heard someone shouting and found the Doc lying on the floor. When I went to help him, the room was flooded with gas. These doors are locked down. We can't get out. Don't know how long we can last." He explained.
"How brave! Let's give Mr. Cash a great big hand! He could use one." A familiar voice on the intercom joked horribly.
"You'll be laughin' out of your butt when I get out of here!" Cash barked.
"Lighten up, homes. I'm just messin' with you." Joker reassured, trying to imitate an African-American accent.
That did Cash's temper, "Can’t wait to return the favor!"
I shook my head, "Leave it, Cash." Then asked, "Can you control the ventilation system in there?"
"Tried, it’s a no go. He's disabled remote access." Cash answered.
"I'll find a way." I assured him.
I looked above my head and spotted a well-supported ledge. Using my parkour skills, I climbed up the walls and made it to the ledge. There was a ventilation grate in front of me. The shaft lead straight to the Observation room.
"Joker's filled the room with gas and we're trapped in here. I can sit in here all night, but the Doc over there ain't looking too good." Cash exclaimed.
I pulled the grate off and crawled through the shaft. On the other side, the Observation Room was completely hazed over in a cloud of Joker Toxin.
I walked across the catwalk and was able to see a power switch through the gas. I grabbed a bat-a-rang and threw it toward the switch. Direct hit with the sound of machines powering up.
"Nightshade, I don't know if you can hear this. Board's showing power to Fan One." Cash informed me, as the cloud of toxin cleared on that said level.
I used the wall and jogged to the other end of the room and landed on a cage that is protecting smaller fans. I spotted another control panel on my right side on the bottom with more of those teeth chattering. I threw a batarang at the panel. Another direct hit and the cloud cleared again.
"Power to Fan Two. Nightshade's doing it, Doc! We'll be out of here soon. Stay cool." Cask assured Dr. Kellerman.
With one panel to go, without a doubt it's gonna be tricky. If I recall, the last panel was inside a small room just on the other side of the observation section.
Here's the problem, the door was locked on both sides and the only way in was through the roof. And Razor was hanging above the room by a rope.
I can't believe I have to do this...
"I'm sorry, Razor." I whispered, as I snapped my fingers and shadow matter cut the rope.
Razor fell through the roof and into the gaz. He died with a loud maniacal laugh, until it faded to silence. I threw a bat-a-rang at the control panel inside and the filter started working.
The gas was completely cleared.
"All three fans are green. We've got full power. Room should be empty any time now." Cash stated, as any signs of green gas faded away.
Inside the booth, Cash and Dr. Kellerman exit out to breath the clean air. Dr. Kellerman leaned on a pillar nearest to him, gasping for clean air. He'll be fine for a few minutes.
"Surprise, surprise, Nightshade arrives just in the nick of time. Next time, Cash, I'll just shoot you and be done with it." The Joker spoke up in a sarcastic tone, then added the last part in a bored and dark tone.
With Dr. Kellerman and Cash safe and well, I left the Observation Room to meet up with Batman back in the Sanatorium.
Whispers in the Dark: Arkham Asylum
~Eleanor Wayne/Nightshade's POV~
After seeing that Cash and Dr. Kellerman were safe, I exit out of the Observation Room to head back to the Sanatorium, to reunite with Batman and the other doctors.
As expected, another purple and green box was laid out in the middle of the hallway. As I expect another joke, I didn't expect of what was coming out of the box, as the teeth and small gas sprang when it burst open.
Another Blackgate inmate, but this inmate is different from the others. He was wearing a guarded mask over his muzzle and he was wielding two butcher knives. He wore a dark red prison jumpsuit with locks at the armbands and abdomen.
He was one of the most violent Blackgate inmates.
I charged toward him and he prepared himself to strike back. When I got close enough for him to attack me, I teleported behind the inmate and delivered a Silent Takedown.
He dropped his blades and fell limp on the ground. I snapped my fingers and used shadow matter to destroy the three chattering teeth that accompanied the inmate.
I have a feeling that I will encounter more of these higher class thugs later on.
I continue down the hallway and up the stairs, until I reach the Upper Corridor’s entrance to enter the Sanatorium.
"I've got ringside seats for the big event, Harley's bringing the popcorn, and I can't wait!" Joker announced excitedly, as he appeared in the screens again.
As I entered in the Sanatorium, I spotted the doctors Batman and I have just saved earlier when we first entered the Sanatorium, tending the thugs we've taken out earlier.
Dr. Cassidy noticed me and asked, "Did you find them, are they okay?"
"Dr. Kellerman and Dr. Chen are safe now." I answered, then asked, "What about Batman and Dr. Redheart?"
As if an answer, I saw the door opened and saw Cash, my father and Dr. Redheart entering the room.
"Nightshade, we've got another problem." Cash told me.
"I need to get back to the Mansion; all my research notes are there. We can't risk Joker getting his hands on them." Dr. Redheart informed us.
I shook my head, "It's not safe, Doctor."
Batman nodded in agreement, "Nightshade has a point. The island is a war zone, you won't stand a chance."
"It's my life's work! You really don't have the authority to-" Dr. Redheart argued, but Cash cut her off, "I'll get her there, Batman. If you ask me, it's about time for a little payback."
I rubbed my arm in discomfort, "I don't like this, but-"
Suddenly, the blaring alarm of the elevator drowned out our conversation, alarming us.
"Who called the elevator?" Batman asked sharply.
"It wasn't us, it’s coming from the lower floor." Dr. Cassidy replied.
I looked around the room and know that Joker has sent more of the Blackgate inmates to scour the Sanatorium.
"Cash, take Doctor Redheart! Get her notes and find somewhere safe to hold up! Everyone else, go to the Observation Room, barricade yourselves!" Batman ordered.
Everybody nodded and ran through the door, to their separate destinations, leaving me and Batman. As soon as the staff was gone, Batman grappled to a gargoyle nearby the elevator, while I teleported to balcony above the cells, and spotted three thugs leaving the elevator. A human, a Unicorn Eponian and a Changeling. They were armed.
"The boss said they're in here somewhere! Spread out!" The leading thug barked.
The three inmates went to their separate ways while two are watching each other’s back. I observed the thugs to check for any of them are isolated.
I saw that the two inmates are at the lower level of the Sanatorium while one is at the railing watching over. Wasted no time and jumped off the vantage point. He landed behind the inmate, without as much as a pin drop.
"I hate hospitals, always gives me the creeps..." The inmate commented to himself.
He didn’t expect Batman's hands wrapped around his neck and nose. He struggled, only tightening my father's grip until his muffled screaming rendered to a slumber.
I looked down and saw that the other two inmate were isolated. One was walking up the ramp, giving me the perfect opportunity to get in behind him. I punched his back and wrapped my arms around his neck and muzzle as he is flailing his arms helplessly. His panicked shouting muffled until he fell silent.
I sensed the last thug beside the examination room above me. I closed my eyes and raised my left hand. Through the eyes of the shadows, I saw the inmate about to climb a ladder to observe the walkways. The shadows crept behind him and wrapped itself around the inmate. He started screaming in a panic. I balled my hand into a fist and the shadows silenced his screaming and his body fell limp on the ground with a quiet thud.
The Sanatorium was safe once again.
I opened my eyes and saw my father in front of me, arms folded, "That's not what we do."
"He's just unconscious." I explained, "If I was going to kill him, I would have done it without shadows."
Father soften his glare at me. He knew me better than using shadows to kill a thug. With that, Batman and I arrived back to the elevator.
Three of those faux blabbermouths chattering incessantly. Batman destroyed them and was about to enter the elevator.
I quickly stopped him, "Dad, wait." Father looked at me, "I sense something very wrong in the lower floors. Let me go down first."
Batman looked at me with uncertainty, then stepped aside. I made my way into the elevator. The outer door closed, my father telling me, "Be careful."
The second doors closed, I turned around and the television monitor in front of me switched on to Joker.
"Too easy, think about it. I’ve got you trapped in a little metal box, hanging precariously over a deadly drop. Let’s say we blow the emergency brakes and drop you like a sack of puppies?" The Clown Prince of Crime commented eagerly.
I knew his game at his so-called threat. I didn't flinch and took a calm breath.
"Say good-night, Nights." Joker told me sinisterly, then shouted, "Boom!" He started laughing, then calmed, "Only kidding."
The elevator started moving down, as Joker continued, "Got a few more surprises in store for you and your daddie, Nightshade; prepare to face your fears, all of them!"
Joker laughed manically before switching off. The Arkham Logo was tainted with his face on it, and the standby for 'Joker TV'.
What I didn’t expect after his announcement was I started to cough. Whatever was happening to me, I spotted a little distortion in the air, could it be the air brake gas was leaking? No, there was a strange, but very familiar smell in the air.
I waited for whatever awaits me at the lower level until the elevator comes to a complete stop.
The elevator came to a stop and opened up after finishing its carriage. I stepped out of the elevator and heard a distant cry. I looked at a window in a small space with doctors and some insane patients inside.
"Please, Dr. Crane, don’t do it!" A doctor cried out.
"There is no Crane." A distorted voice replied, as I walked toward the room, "Only Scarecrow!"
I looked into the room, through the small room, and saw that a small gas is emitting in there. The doctors and inmates were inside, panicking at an alarming behavior, until it is completely erratic. The light flickered as the doctors and inmates panicked louder and more fearful.
I spotted a twisted shadow when the light flickered.
I clenched my teeth in anger. I finally recognized the smell of the gas. The doctors and patients cried, panicked, and screamed in pure terror. Some were clawing at their legs, most likely bugs. Others were clawing at walls in horror. One insane patient clawed at the window in front of me.
"Get me out of here, oh Celestia!" The inmate cried.
I took a step back, then spotted the shadow, which was wearing a hood and had a somewhat auto-mail right arm. As the doctors and patients were becoming more and more terrified, I looked around the room to search for the person responsible for this madness.
An iron barred gate blocked my passage to intercept the person that quickly ran in front of me, out of sight. I didn’t have time to make out whom, but I knew who it was: Doctor Johnathan Crane, A.K.A Scarecrow.
Crane was a skilled and talented pharmacist in medicine and drugs for the hospitals. What really fascinated him was his obsession in phobias. Ever since he was little, Crane was teased about his scrawny appearance and his fidgetiness.
He worked at Arkham years after he graduated and started to perform private and disturbed experiments to doctors, psychiatrists and patients of his newly developed Fear Gas: a highly hazardous, dangerous, and malicious gas in any form, solid, liquid, gas, or plasma, can get inside a victim or victims' mind and make their deepest, darkest phobias and fears so frighteningly real, it can kill them.
Crane was one of my father's most dangerous enemies in psychological terms. He was too fascinated to what Batman was afraid and yet, he (Scarecrow) was too angered and determined to crawl into his (Batman) mind, trying to break him, but my father's will was too strong.
Unfortunately, the poor doctors and patients died of fright in the room. The area I was in now was the Secure Access. Beside me, a dusty old room was coated in cobwebs and is plastered with Joker's poster with kissy marks on it. On an old stand on the weak table in the room had a harlequin hat and a name plate on the table.
That room was an old psychiatrist office and I know who's: Doctor Harleen Quinzel.
"Ooh, it looks like the good Doctor has started early. You’re appointment isn’t for hours, I'm sure you'll bust through when he's ready." Joker spoke up from the intercoms, then he asked, "Tell me, Nightie, what are you really scared of? Failing to save this cesspool of a city? Not finding the Commissioner in time? Me, in a thong?"
He burst into laughter at the last comment and switched off from the intercom.
I needed to venture further into the Secure Access to track down Commissioner Sheamus and avoid the Fear Gas soon as possible.
I spotted a weak wall at the end of the Access and used my shadow matter to destroy the wall to allow access.
I entered a small passageway and walked through a janitorial utility section with multiple grids, ventilation systems and gears grinding like clockwork.
As I dropped down and ran through the section, my vision started to get more angled and I felt a little distorted as I travel further until I met at a lower section of the Lower Corridor.
When I met at the window of the Corridor, I spotted a white Unicorn Eponian with a blue accented mane, sapphire eyes and wearing the same collared shirt and khaki pants he wore earlier: Commissioner Sheamus, and he looked and sounded weak.
"Please, help me, Nightshade…" He pleaded weakly.
I stood in shock as Sheamus was dragged by somebody or something. I need to hurry before he gets into any more harm.
I looked at a grate and pulled it and entered the ventilation duct to enter the Lower Corridor.
After pushing the grate at the end and stood up, I saw a horrific site: The Commissioner, lying his back against a wall and he was not moving.
I walked slowly to Commissioner Sheamus and check for any pulse, but atrociously, I did not find any. A small tear fell from my cheek and my voice quivered a little bit. I lowered my head.
"I'm sorry, Sheamus." I said somberly.
I close his eyes in respect. I heard a thud at the end of the Corridor on my left. I needed to tell Oracle the truth.
"Faith… Dad... I... I'm sorry… I was too late." I apologized quietly and gravely.
What I wanted to expect was a sob or a yell from Faith, or my father, but what I didn't expect was a standby mode.
"I'm sorry, the number you have dialed isn't available." A standby voice announced.
I started to feel perplexed of this behavior, "Faith? Dad? Can you hear me?" I asked.
"Please hang up your phone." The voice added before switching off.
I narrowed my eyes and starting to see flickering lights at the end of the hallway. Beetles, cockroaches, and other insects start to crawl from the walls left and right.
What I saw was the same figure I saw from the Secure Access earlier. I walked further in the infested Lower Corridor as some tiles from the walls start to crumble and shatter when they hit the floor.
The minute I met the door at the end of the Corridor, the entire paranormal phenomenon ceased abruptly, stopped.
Everything was dead silent. I opened the door that lead to a deathly environment, the Morgue.
In the Morgue, several doors lined up in vertical and horizontal order was obviously for the deceased to be buried, cremated or any other method. It’s what you expect of your everyday mortuary.
Alongside were tables on a small ramp for identification and autopsy reports with jars on a tool table.
Two fluorescent lights hung above the dark room and a small mist hang over the room, giving it a creepy, ethereal and ghastly feeling.
I heard a chilling and raspy whispering around me, but likewise from my career, I held my ground.
"You shouldn’t…be here!"
"You shouldn’t be here!"
"You shouldn’t be here, get out of here!"
"Get out of here!"
"Get out of here!"
As the threatening whispers became louder every time I walked around the morgue, the cadaver cases started to slam the doors by themselves in a repeated cycle.
A droned out tune rang out in the Morgue to elevate the disturbing atmosphere.
Having enough, I left the Morgue to go back in the Lower Corridor, but I entered back in the same Morgue as before but this time, everything was dead silent.
On the tables were three body bags, thankfully, they were closed. But the body bags shook violently, desperately wanting air. I walked up to the first body bag to see the bodies myself.
On my right, I unzipped the bag and saw a body I did not expect to see.
In the bag was a young, American, human male, about the same age as me, with dark hair and a white streak in his bangs. His irises were grayed out and left at a dead white.
He donned the same armored suit before his death. I knew who this was and I stepped back in complete aghast.
"J-Jason..." I recognized with a gasp.
The boy leaned his head towards me and opened his plagued mouth, "Where were you, Ellie? You promised you'd be there for me." The corpse exclaimed with an echo.
Taking a back from the sentence of my deceased ex-boyfriend, I covered my mouth and took a step back.
I walked to the other body bag, behind me, and unzipped it open. Inside was a young Alicorn Eponian female. Around a few years older than me. Her decaying pale pink, blue striped, curly mane. Light pink fur coat. Dead white eyes. She wore the same light grey turtleneck sweater, and black pants, the night she was shot.
This Eponian-
"Faith?" I asked shocked.
The Eponian tilted her head towards me, "Save us, Ellie. Don't let us die!" She spoke in a deep voice with the same echo that Jason spoke in.
I took a step back and clutched my head in conflict.
I do not like this one bit.
After seeing the bodies of my mother and ex-boyfriend, I looked to the last body bag, dreading to think it could be my father, Commissioner Sheamus, Dick, or Tim in the bag.
I opened the bag and expected one of the five to be revealed.
But the body was still breathing, unlike the two undead ones.
This one has a skinny human male with pale Caucasian skin. Wearing torn brown clothing with stitched pants, tapes around the ankles. It had a mechanical forearm at the right hand, but it can be removed, like a glove.
The body laid there for a few seconds, before it popped up to me with its black irises obscure in its makeshift, scarecrow like mask with two gas mask filters at the end underneath a small hood. The eyes glowed to a bright yellow and it made me feel disoriented and vertigo.
I fell down, recovered and I stood up. After standing up to regain my hoofing, the body and the other body bags were gone.
What really surprised me was that the Morgue’s surroundings were disintegrated like a surreal-themed artwork. The tiles on the floor were disappearing until they ended at a precariously drop over a whirlpool-like vortex at the very bottom of this void.
To gain process, I jumped over the ridges of the disintegrated Morgue and climbed up to a sturdy area where there was as much as little of the Morgue remained. The distorted hallways now have the gray skies, this world had and the very floor was a deathtrap, if I took one misstep.
When I stood up behind a wall of the Lower Corridor and Morgue, a sharp pain shot through my head, as my mind started to twirl and twist in irregular proportions, as I heard a cackle. I shook my head and put my hand over my temples to clear my mind, when I heard something I did not want to hear.
Behind the wall, several meters away, was Scarecrow standing in a gargantuan size and height, 100 feet tall at max, towering above the twisted world he created. His right hand was a mechanical glove with four syringes filled with the same hazardous gas that created this world, in liquid form, with surgical tubes on the gauntlet for refilling.
Luckily, the distance between us and the wall was the only thing that kept me safe from the giant Scarecrow. The only way to get out of this world is to defeat Scarecrow to restore my mind back to normal.
I spotted a shining light at the very top of this world. I saw that the light's source is my father's Bat Signal, the very symbol of my father's iron will, determination, courage and a shining example of justice. His blood runs through my veins. I've looked up to him ever since I was a foal. That symbol will be my legacy.
I knew what I needed to do.
"POOR LITTLE BAT, YOU’RE IN MY WORLD NOW!" Scarecrow stated, introducing me into his twisted world.
He turned around in an anti-clockwise, 360 to scan the entire world in search for me. Luckily, I can hide behind small walls and corners to hide from the eyesight of the Scarecrow. If I got caught, he could easily destroy my mind and I will be twisted, forever.
As soon as Scarecrow turned his head, I ran a column to hide from his gaze as he turned back around to scan the world again. I left the column and ran to find another spot to hide from his oscillating gaze.
The rumbling of her gaze shook the unstable ground. Some of the tiles crumbled and fell into the bottomless vortex below. I remained firm and continue to hide behind crumbled ruins of the Morgue/Lower Corridor to avoid detection.
"WELCOME TO MY WORLD, NIGHTSHADE!" Scarecrow cackled.
I ignored his words and spotted the tallest column that can hide me from the gaze very well. In front of me was a weak wall that can be accessed by my shadow matter and can distract the Scarecrow, allowing me more time to get to the top.
After Crane's gaze has passed, I snapped my fingers. Dark energy attacked the weak wall. That was new. The wall exploded, alarming Scarecrow.
"WHAT WAS THAT?" Scarecrow asked.
He floated quickly to the area where I was hiding to observe the destroyed wall. He looked carefully around the wall and I saw that he was moving to the other side of my hiding spot to search for me.
I quickly moved out of the range of the light, giving me a chance to run through the passageway and up some platforms to gain higher ground above the distorted world.
After good seconds of observing, Scarecrow shook his head in annoyance and went back to his position to search for me.
Behind the wall, at the top, on a small walkway, edge of this world was the Bat Signal, still shining as my only way to leave this world.
After Scarecrow scanned the top, I quickly jogged to the signal and pushed it to an angle that can shine on Scarecrow. The creaking of the signal alarmed him.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, LITTLE BAT?" Scarecrow asked.
He looked around the world until he spotted the Bat Signal, that was shining at his direction. After adjusting the ray to its angle. The light blasted an extremely bright ray at Scarecrow, brightening the world around me and him. Scarecrow screamed in agony as the bright photon ray blasted him and his twisted world to obliteration. Scarecrow cried out in pain.
"Nightshade? Can you hear me? Eleanor!"
Everything brightened to white. I remained firm as everything changed around me and I held my head, as it slowly became clearer and everything around me was back to normal. I was in the same Morgue as earlier before the incident happened.
No body bags, no ethereal voices, no banging, no mist, no Scarecrow, nothing. Everything was back to normal. I finally cleared my head from the Fear Gas I was dosed back on the elevator.
I blinked to see my father looking at me, shaking my shoulders, "Ellie? Are you still there? Ellie, can you hear me?"
I quickly wrapped my arms around the man in front of me, "Dad..."
I could feel the tri-weaved fabric of his batsuit. The flexible leather of his mask and the parachute fabric of his cape. He was real. Thank goodness.
"Can you hear me? Ellie, what’s going on?" Oracle asked frantically after a long period in the twisted world I was in. I was relieved to hear her voice again.
I released the hug and activated my comms, "Oracle, I'm okay." I replied softly and relieved.
"What happened? I’d lost contact, are you sure you’re alright? Have you found my dad?" She asked.
"I'm fine, had a little run-in with Scarecrow. I'll get back to you in a bit," I replied. I switched off and head towards the exit to get out of the Morgue, the location of nightmares, death, and insanity.
