Chapter 1- Defiant
"Warden! Warden Sharp! Can you give us your opinion on the escape of the Joker? How does this effect Arkham Asylum? Or your campaign for mayor's office?" rambled Ms. Vicky Vale, cramming the news report microphone into the troubled Warden's gaze. He only tried to relieve himself from the commotion in front of city hall, yet the questions kept clamoring.
"A monster has escaped my guarded facility and is now holding up town hall! What opinion do you think I should have? Now out of my way!" Warden Sharp continued his way to his car,
"But aren't you going to do anything about it, these are the people of Gotham!" the young reporter continued as well, chasing after him like a string. Everyone around the commotion then looked to the back of them in the sky, all with a sense of more relief. Vicky Vale and Warden Sharp did so too and saw the bat signal grim and bright in the middle of the dark clouded rainy sky.
"As you can see, it is already dealt with." added Mr. Sharp as he stepped into his black vehicle.
This night for Gotham City was just one of those more eventful ones, usually the ones when a criminal would escape from Arkham or Blackgate and somewhere would be held hostage until the Dark Knight arrived. People would gather in the streets hoping to get a glimpse of the danger, or to perhaps become a part of the danger, it made no difference. Either way Batman would always win and trail the villain back to their corner... so the race could start all over again.
Gotham's danger was very real in the streets. Living in the city was a fright for your life on your way to work, and the sirens of the police cars was as common as the wind in trees. Gotham was the mother of all crime, and only one man and a handful of honorable police men were determined to change that. Changing that crime was a whole different story, however. The purist of Gotham's city was not safe from the grip of corruption. Everywhere it would grab hold of something as innocent as a 16 year old school girl, and rip her asunder into something terrifying, into something that should be locked in Arkham Asylum for eternity. The story was unknown about the Joker, whether he had lost his mind in the past as a child or an adult, but Batman knew one thing for certain, that evil is not born, it is made.
"I'm ready to conduct another session with my patient, gentlemen. Please stand aside." Meanwhile at Arkham Asylum, the cities greatest dump for sociopaths, homicidal maniacs and psychopaths, Dr. Penelope Young was making her way to her most recent patient. She was a very stern, calculated doctor, more interested in the result than her patient's health. Her hair was spun up in a bun, and her lab coat half buttoned with a red knitted sweater beneath. The guards who were blocking her way while making idle conversation immediately heeded instruction,
"Ofcourse, Dr. Young," A guard babbled timidly as he stepped out of the middle of the hallway with his peers. Dr. Young continued her way to her office where her patient was sitting with armed guards. She wasn't as nervous as the other doctors; she didn't feel the need to fear the criminals of the city. Now that she was the Wardens most prized psychiatrist, she felt like she was gliding on fire. Dr. Young's newest patient's file was being held in her right arm, she opened it briefly to confirm the name of who ever she would be rehabilitating.
Coralline Coppers, popular alias known as "Corrosa"
The particular girl she would soon be sitting with caused uproar in latest Gotham media. First with constant burglary charges of mob banks, then 3 murders of high disturbance were performed. If it wasn't for the Batman, Corrosa would still be wreaking havoc on the streets. Dr. Young's previous meetings with "Coralline" were overall unsatisfactory. Mainly silence and threats, nothing to push the progress closer to the goal. This time Dr. Young had a spark in her eye, and now that the Joker was soon to be dragged back to his cell by the Dark Knight she felt utterly sure of the task at hand. Coralline was breathe for air, a calm sit in the office compared to Young's other patients; this made her reckless.
Dr. Young didn't hesitate to turn the door knob and walk confidently where the woman who had savagely murdered 3 individuals sat. She was greeted firstly by the guards who stood fixated on the small girl who sat distantly in the chair across from the doctor's desk. Coralline's jet black hair dangled in front of her face as she stared down at her hands unmoving.
"Hey, doc, another recording?" asked the guard to the left of the door.
"Ofcourse," Dr. Young confirmed. She sat in her office chair walking calmly and confidently next to Coralline. Walking by Coralline that instant wasn't fearful for Dr. Young, but for anyone else it would feel like walking past a feeding bear, or dark black hole that you could simply just trip into if you didn't inch your way past it. Going too close wasn't acceptable, and was incredibly dangerous.
As soon as Dr. Young was seated she pressed the black switch on the recording device. Immediately the tape began to spin making a crackling sound before it progressed in spinning. She spoke into it directly, her eyes distant from her patient's.
"Arkham Asylum, patient Interview 1, patient's name, Coralline Coppers." Dr. Young then fully gazed her attention over to the dark suspicious girl that was Coralline.
"Hello, Coralline. Today I would like to go over again what we briefly talked about last session; I remember you accidently brought up your mother then refrained from speaking for the entire interview, what was it you wanted to tell me?" There was utter silence across the desk, no movement or detection. Coralline was completely still and didn't even look up. Dr. Young tapped on her desk impatiently. "Coralline, would you mind speaking to me? This isn't just your time here." Still no movement from across the table and the session was soon beginning to look hopeless. The two guards looked awkwardly at each other wondering if they should poke her and see if she was still conscious. Dr. Young continued regardless, "Your mother was in the news all week when she died, what happened to her was horrible. That perspective is just mine, you were there that night... can you tell me what really happened?" Coralline twitched slightly out of fear of the question and only continued looking at her fingers under the desk.
"She's talkin' to you!" yelled one of the grubby guards at Coralline. Dr. Young sternly shushed them with a violent stare, as if the importance of this interview was infinite. The guard immediately heeded, embarrassed.
"Coralline...? Won't you speak to me?" whispered Dr. Young, leaning in to her patient. "Won't you let me in?" A breathe released from Coralline's lips, and her head slowly tilted upwards to her doctor. Her brown eyes captivated to Dr. Young as if she was a meal, and her whole body gone stiff. Coralline opened her mouth slightly and spoke in a dark provoked tone, her voice as innocent as a little girl.
"No."
