Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is property of Takahashi Rumiko and Vis. Batman is property of DC Comics. No insult was meant by the creation of this fanfiction - quite the opposite.

For those who know the Ranma universe: This is set after the Saffron arc and the Failed Wedding. Shortly after the failed wedding, Ranma went missing. No note, no goodbyes. He just took his meager belongings and vanished.

Ranma 1/2: Crouching Dragon, Hidden Bat

She blew out the yawn she took in a second ago and looked around. The rooftops of Gotham were bleak and cold, and she was tired of waiting. However, she also knew that it was the little girl's only real hope.

She paced back and forth across the rooftop, the black silk of her pants and cloak making only the barest of whispers. Likewise, the black silk Chinese top she wore helped silence her impatient fiddling with her carnelian-colored braid of hair as the sleeves made only the near noiseless sound of silk against silk. Looking cross-eyed for a moment, she checked the readout hidden within the visor of the Dragon Mask she wore. 0404 – an inauspicious time. She turned to examine the spotlight she had rigged with the bat silhouette and almost jumped.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to notice me" A dark, gravelly voice came from the shadows as the man it belonged to stepped forward. The black of his cape and dark grey of his body armor kept most of his features swallowed in the darkness. Even the black cowl and bat sigil on his chest only seemed to enhance his ability to hide in the shadows.

The Batman

"I would have noticed you if I wasn't already preoccupied" the girl replied arrogantly, her Japanese accent thick but clear. Then a touch of awe entered her voice "But I have to admit that I've only met one other person as skilled at cloaking their presence and quieting their ki."

"Get to the point." Batman barked.

With a slow and deliberate motion the girl drew a folder from behind the tabard she wore over her outfit. By the stiff way the red dragon sigil on her chest moved, it was obvious that the tabard was armored. Tossing the folder to him, the girl began.

"Four hours ago someone broke into the Japanese Consulate in little Tokyo and kidnapped the girl. She is the daughter of the Japanese Ambassador. I collected what evidence I could, but it doesn't make sense to me."

"Why not take this to the police?" Batman inquired.

"Two reasons" she replied "One, this needs to be handled with a delicacy and discretion that the Gotham Police Department unfortunately lacks. Secondly, we don't have the time. The girl needs regular shots every day to prevent a degenerative disease from killing her. We have until 1900 hours to get her back and give her the injection."

"I'll get right on it." He said to her after opening the folder. The notes were all typed, but in Japanese. There were also several pages of digital photographs as well as a CD labeled with the date.

"One thing, Dark Knight-san." The girl replied yet again "I wish to assist you in this. I have done what I can, but I am not the best detective in the world. You are known as the greatest detective ever. I could do far worse a sensei. Besides, the girl is … important to me."

Batman narrowed his eyes behind the cowl before speaking "I already have a partner. I don't need to baby-sit someone…" he stopped in mid-speech. The girl, who had a second ago been pacing away, had simply appeared before him. No flash, no theatrics. She simply was inches before his face, a fist cocked back to strike. He knew superior speed when he saw it, but what really stopped him was her Ki. The fist that was aimed at him literally burned with a corona of energy. Even with his body armor, if that connected he'd feel it. He had never met anyone with that level of control. "Who are you, and what's this really about?" he asked the dragon mask before his face.

"I'll tell you on the way. I'm sure you want to check out the crime scene yourself, ne?" She replied back.

With a nod, he turned and fired a grapple out and began swinging from rooftop to rooftop on his way into Gotham's Little Tokyo. Surprising him, however was the fact that the girl followed him, making incredible leaps even he could not make, literally jumping from rooftop to rooftop in most cases. When a rooftop was too far away for one of her super jumps, a chain with a grappling hook at the end would lash out from the depths of her sleeve to assist her, only to vanish again from once it came.

Stopping on one rooftop to get their bearings and change direction, the redhead spoke up. "This would work better if you have a radio so you can hear me."

Batman tapped his left ear and simply said "Cellular Band 23".

With a nod the pair were again streaking across the nighttime skyline. The girl spoke up then. "I call myself the Scarlet Dragon now. As to what this is about – The wife of the Japanese Ambassador was involved in many different businesses back in Japan. She is a power by herself. She is also a very old friend of mine, and has asked for my assistance in this matter. There are a number of people who would want to hurt her, and more who would stoop at nothing to use the child to gain some favor from the Ambassador. She knew also that I would have the best chance of finding and contacting you."

"What if I refused?" Batman replied "sounds like this is an internal matter to me."

"I did not think that a possibility. You are the Dark Knight, you protect the weak, same as me." the Scarlet Dragon replied. "As to it being an internal matter, I know of no-one who would do things like this person has done."

Finally, they landed just within the fence surrounding the compound. Immediately, several guards turn and point machineguns at the two intruders. The Scarlet Dragon raises her hand , and upon noticing who they are aiming at, lower their weapons. The two march forward into the building itself. Inside, a functionary falls into place beside the duo.

"Mrs. Hanayoshi wants to speak to you immediately, Shinku-ryuu-sama. She is most distressed" the thin man said as he adjusted his glasses. "She says to tell you that she will hold you personally responsible if her daughter comes to any harm."

With that, the Scarlet Dragon stops and turns to the man "Tell her that I do not report to her, and that she can claim all she wants. We will find the person responsible and bring them to justice. Now if you excuse me, I have a job to do." With that, a faint blue glow begins to surround her, and what appear to be blue flames spring into being around her fists. For a few seconds the blank eyeholes of the dragon mask stare into the face of the functionary, before he finally bows and backs off, practically running to tell his daimyo what has occurred. Turning to her companion, she speaks softly. "My apologies, Dark knight-san. My associate is very worried and used to being on top of every situation." She chuckles, dark and low "If an innocent life were not in the balance I would not even bother. She needs the lesson in humility."

"You have interesting allies. Nabiki Hanayoshi-Tendo is not one to cross lightly." Batman replies quietly "And if it wasn't that the child is relatively innocent, I would not be involved. She has all but made herself into a Yakuza boss in the past. I've often felt it was only a matter of time."

"Which she no longer has, Dark Knight-san. With the birth of her daughter Nabs had to back off of many of her projects. She wants to be a good mother. She has learned quickly that her activites attracted the wrong kind of attention. This is why we must help her. If she loses Kimiko, she may regress to her previous life as the Ice Queen of Tokyo." Entering then a room which had two guards outside it, the Scarlet Dragon gestured. "here we are, Dark-knight-san. The Scene of the crime."

Batman looked around as he entered the nursery, taking in details. The glass of the window had been broken outwards, meaning that the intruder was already inside when it happened. The bars over the window had been eaten away by acid. And propped in a corner, the first guard to catch the thief.

Staring out with glassy eyes, his mouth was caught in a permanent rictus of a smile.

"Joker" the Batman said quietly.

The Scarlet Dragon tilted her head at his utterance "who or what is Jokeru, Dark-knight-san?"

"The Joker is a criminal mastermind. He's also criminally insane. His trademark is jokes and puns – often with a lethal punchline. However, there's something missing here. Usually he leaves some sort of calling card. A jack in the box holding a pun and often some smilex gas, or a note with a joke of some sort on it."

As Batman spoke he searched the room. Meanwhile, it looked like the Scarlet Dragon just stood there, looking about the room. However, the eyes of her dragon mask glowed faintly. Finally she stopped, looking at the crib. "Under the crib is a small box shape. I mistook it for one of her toys, but it might be the jack in the box device you were speaking of."

Carefully, Batman retrieved the jack in the box. There, atop the clown's body, was a more familiar visage to Gothamites – that of the Joker. In the hands of the clown was a small note.

"Bring 1,000,000,000 yen to the Docks by 1200 or the Child swims with the fishies! –J–"

"Excellent. Now, the question is, how did he get in?" Batman spoke aloud.

The Scarlet Dragon carefully approached and bent near the box. A faint glow came from her eyes as she studied the vicious toy, then she got up and slowly paced the room. "This way, Dark Knight-san. His ki still lingers."

With care, the Scarlet Dragon walked through the compound, until they reached the kitchen. There, the trail led the Scarlet Dragon right to the large walk-in fridge. Carefully opening the door, she was suddenly knocked backwards several feet as a jet of boiling water and steam erupted from a nozzle that had been set up in the Refrigerator. Batman immediately moved to check on his new 'pupil' when he stopped and looked closely at the Scarlet Dragon.

Lying in a puddle with severe second degree burns, the water had had other effects as well. Where once the Scarlet Dragon was a slim and buxom female with red hair there now lay a different figure. The being was flat-chested and muscular, the black silk shirt taunt against the muscles of the arms showing each and every definition. Along with the sudden change in gender, there was a perceptible increase of mass, as well as a change of hair color from carnelian red to midnight black. As he slowly got up, a blue glow encompassed the exposed flesh and the burns reduced and healed as the Batman watched. "Sorry about this. I should have checked for another trap."

"You have a lot to explain" Batman said. "But not now. Looks like he must have posed as a delivery person. Take a look" he gestured towards the fridge. Inside, the body of the cook could be seen, half his face melted off with acid, and a delivery tag fastened to his neck.

The now male Scarlet Dragon read the tag slowly, then folded his arms and growled quietly. "this Jokeru needs new jokes. That was … how you say … kokoronai?" He said the last in Japanese.

"tasteless." Batman said "and yes. That's part of his trademark."

On the tag, written in crayon was the phrase 'One gross, can whu-pas'.