Bridge
Arkham. The revolving door asylum that acted more as a temporary baby sitter than anything else. It was only a matter of time before this place would shut down. There was already talk of a newer, better, and safer place being built. Though the City knew, nothing would ever truly replace Arkham Asylum. For many, it was their home away from home.
Arkham was strangely quiet tonight. The real noise makers were temporarily out free, tearing down the city that gave them life.
Storm clouds moved silently across the night sky. Rain threatening with every harsh breeze.
Harvey looked away from the window. Strangely enough, he had never been in this particular cell. His normal cell was currently occupied by the less than appealing Riddler.
Riddler was currently stretched out on his cot, attempting to relax and not aggravate what appeared to be a badly sprained arm. Most likely from his latest caper in which he managed to make friends with many people that wished to see him dead.
Oddly enough, he was used to this particular view. They always managed to place him near the red headed lunatic.
He supposed it was done on purpose. He was most likely the only one in this place that currently didn't wish to kill the small man.
They had their own respect for each other. They both had their own vices. Their own obsessions that always lead to their eventual downfall.
"My dear Harvey, as much as I enjoy feeling that evil eye of yours on my back, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from glaring. I am well aware that I am in your cell. I promise I won't mess up any of the pretty little home furnishings you've added. That is, if you promise not to mess up my own additions to my typical home away from home." That high voice sang out from the darkness.
Looking around, Harvey did notice various markings etched into the walls. This was common practice among the regulars here. They each left their marks in one form or another. It had gotten to the point where they each typically did have their own cells reserved for them. They were only moved around if their cells were damaged in break outs or were currently full do to over capacity.
It was considered good form not to mess with anything a regular had done to their cell should you find yourself in their home temporarily.
The only one that refused to abide by this unspoken law was the Joker. It wasn't uncommon to find his horrendous smiles and jokes scratched in every nook and cranny. A constant reminder that he was here. Even when he was not.
If one thought too deeply on the subject, perhaps they were the ones marking on The Joker's walls. He had no home outside of the bars. He was the only one that would often seek the refuge of this place to relax after a long hard night.
Glancing around now, he could tell who had occupied this cell over the years.
The Joker's art could still be detected despite obvious attempts to scrub it away by all the other occupants. A few childish pictures relating to a story book he'd never cared for. Dark pictures creeping out of nightmares and waiting for your back to be turned before leaping out at you. Most of all, this cell reeked of Riddler.
Neat etchings in what appeared to be Latin, various clippings from news papers and text books. Most likely things once spoken by the Sphinx or various other great shadows of the past that still longed to confound and confuse the world.
Harvey's own cell held his own attempts at self comfort. Things he'd recalled from his beloved law books, letters from his ever patient friend, and pictures from childhood often marred partially depending on who was in charge at the time. His cell, like him, was contradictory.
"I wouldn't dream of touching your idiotic dabbles, Riddler." Gruff and tired, he turned away from the relaxing form, looking to avoid any uncomfortable conversations. It was almost morning and he just wanted to get through these last few hours and find the rest he desperately needed.
"You're honestly going to sit there and glower all night? We could try an arousing game of Che-"
"I would rather go two rounds with the Bat than play another game of Chess with you."
"Well if you feel that way about it, we could always try cards."
"You're lousy at cards. Your Poker face is worse than any I've ever seen. Don't even have to be in the same room with you to know that you've got a good hand."
"...Well I'm sorry if half my face isn't as set in stone as yours." There was a heavy sigh as the Riddler rolled over. "You haven't been on that side of the cell block in a long time, have you? They've made several changes over the past few years. I believe you'll be pleasantly surprised if you take a gander out the window there, Harvey. Towards the water."
Harvey sighed and moved to look out the window. It wasn't as if he had anything better to do.
The heavy clouds shifted, letting enough light through for Harvey to find the water easily.
"Notice anything of interest out there, Harvey?"
He couldn't contain the irritation in his voice. "They finally finished building the bridge. What about it?" Of course he knew about the bridge. He had been the one that had overseen the original proposal back when he was in office. It was nice to know that they'd finally gone along and done it after all these years. At least some things got done in this city.
"Honestly..." The Riddler shifted again, struggling to keep the exasperation out of his voice. "The bridge is only a part of what you're supposed to be looking at. Look at the water."
Harvey was about to snap back at him and suggest he keep his mouth shut for a change when the clouds parted again, the water shimmering and reflecting back up at the gray sky.
They were both quiet, the only sounds were of the Riddler shifting and sitting up to look at him at last.
Harvey stood in silence, gripping the bars as he took in the sight fully.
It was a long floating bridge, sitting just on top of the water. The many lights along each side glittering in the dark.
On one side of the bridge the water was as calm as the day, a clear sparkling blue as the waves caught the early rays of the coming morning.
On the other, the water swelled a deep dark purple, angry as the fading night, the waves lashing at the bridge and full of chaos.
"Quite a sight, isn't it? Heh. It always reminds me of you, actually. Especially on dark nights like this one. You should see the sun rise on it. Absolutely stunning."
Harvey listened to the Riddler quietly, completely at a loss for words. As he spoke, the sky lightened, the sun starting to press against the night.
Behind him, the Riddler moved to his own window. "As one man welcomes the morning, another bids the night farewell. I believe it's fitting, don't you?"
They stood together in silence for several minutes, both lost in their own thoughts.
"'In all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order.'" A quote Harvey had heard somewhere once. His eyes stung with repressed emotion as for the first time, both his personalities felt the same sense of peace.
"'The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.'" The Riddler moved back to his bed and fell silent again.
Eventually, Harvey followed suit and returned to his bed, falling into a peaceful sleep.
---Quotes by Carl Jung