The Dark Knight
Ascensions II
Location: gotham streets.
rain was pouring down on Gotham as a group of kids were playing in the puddles of an old playground in the midst of the high rise apartments in gotham's suburbs. The ambience of the city ensued in through the old and rusty alleyways, as the clouds loomed over, casting a dark and gloomy fog. The old streets drenched in rain. "No I'm Batman" yelled one of the kids, "no i am' yelled the other, "no let me be Batman, you guys always get to be him" said the last. Above the playground stood The Dark knight on one of the many abandoned apartment complex's peering down on the kids with his radio picking up their conversation.
A rare smirk appeared on his unshaven and grim face through the opening of his two horned cowl. He jumped off one of the buildings many balconies gliding down and onto the monkey bars next to where the kids were playing. "Batman!" yelled the three kids. "its really you!" said one of the kids. "No one will believe us" yelled all three after picturing later conversation with schoolmates. He grinned again, grabbing three high powered mini night vision goggles, with the inscriptions, (wayne corp), off his utility belt, tossing one to each of the kids. "wow cool" yell'd all three in unison, glaring at the expensive gadget they each held in their hands. A female dispatchers voice fizzled in... "We've got a sighting of a masked figure on a horse on Ferguson and brook sheer. Nearest patrol's needed for immediate response." "The Scarecrow" whispered batman in an undertone. The Dark Knight looked up into the sky, sighting the glowing light of the bat signal glistening through the fog and black clouds of gotham's night sky.
The kids noticed the signal, and turned back to the Dark Knight. "you have to go now don't you?" asked one of the kids. "Yes" said batman in his raspy dark voice. "Use those wisely" he said as they looked back down at their newly acquired gadgets, only to look back up to see no trace of the Dark Knight. The Knight used his grappling hook to reach a low rise building that hid the tumbler in its decaying parking structure. 'the last time I saw him was behind the bars of the asylum. I was sure gotham's D.A had him locked up in there for a good while!. Was his sentence up?. No it cant be! I would've been notified! how did he break free?I guess i shouldn't be surprised, Its the scarecrow, he's got connections everywhere and thats not surprising considering all the corruption in this city's police force, especially in Arkham.' As the night made his way to the location The masked figure was ridding down ferguson with the galloping horse beneath him. The dark knight now standing above with his last pair of binoculars, after giving the other three away to those kids. 'What is he doing? Has he finally lost it? I guess he did. ever since the crane incident. that day relentlessly burns in my thoughts to this day.' "Haha come out batman!" I know your out there!" "Hahahahaha!".
The Dark Knight peered below, watching the Scarecrow waiting for the Knight. He swooped down and landed in the middle of wide Ferguson, in front of the Scarecrow, causing the horse to jump, throwing Scarecrow to the floor" "aghh, aghh, Aghhahahaha. You never disappoint Bat" lAUGHED SCARECROW. The Dark Knight stared with a scowl on his face, squinting his eyes, the rain pouring down, with the sound of the horse galloping away down the street it came from. "Ahh Batman, just the bat I was looking for!", he said as he slowly got up groaning from the pain. "Do you know what day it is today Bat?". "What do you want Scarecrow?" yelled the knight. "Ahh so you do remember! Oh of course! How can the Batman forget this day, Hahaha! the day you ruined my life!" THe Dark Knight growled with aggravation. "You were to blame for what happened that night Scarecrow! You were the one threatening to kill that innocent girl! You put yourself in that position!" yelled the knight. "Ahhh yes the girl. I almost forgot about the girl! Thanks for reminding me of her! You had feelings for her, oh yes how obvious that was. You were practically begging me to let her go! Hahahahaha! Where is she now BATMAN? Do you know of here current state? Ahhh of course not, because your here!" laughed the Scarecrow.
The dark knight hurled himself towards the scarecrow grabbing him from his throat with scarecrows feet now above the ground, his body dangling in the air. "khak". "Where is she?" screamed Batman! "oh I was under the impression you two broke up" the scarecrow squirmed as he tried to prevent suffocation from the Bats iron like grip around his throat. "Why the aggravated tone batman? You do remember that I am a psychiatrist. Do you want to talk about your feelings?". "Yes youre a Psychopath scarecrow!" growled the knight. "Well Bats I'll tell you wHere she is after I'm done with my little STORY..."I dont care about your story!" screamed the Knight. "NO, NO, NO Bat's, don't raise your voice. I would be careful if I were you, I mean if you want your poor girlfriend to live and all!"
The Dark Knight Growled with impatience as the Scarecrow began his story. "You see Bat's... I don't think you know what exactly happened to me that night. After throwing me off that crane, I landed in the Hazards bellow. I died that night Bats, what you see before you now is an entirely different scarecrow.". The Scarecrow slowly removed his terrifyingly scary hallowinish mask with orange glowing eye sockets revealing what was beneath. The Knight squinted at the sight of Dr. Cranes now permanently deformed face. "Look at the result of your heroic endeavors Batman. Look at the face of the man you once knew as Dr. Crane. But no more Batman! No more am I him. I am now and forever Scarecrow!" He threw his ragged brown and orange eyed cowl back on as a flock of unsightly crows flew from behind him towards the Knight. The Knight dropped the crow and bent down, reaching for his left boot, picking up the sonar bat signal, pressing it to activate its signal to all the bats in the caves of Gotham's outer city limits. The aggravated crows came rushing towards the dark knight as he once again rushed the scarecrow. He swung at him and knocked him to his knees! The knight turned to see the black cloud of crows raging towards him with a now rare worried grim look on his face. Still on his knees at the center of the street, the scarecrow uttered a laugh "Hahaha! Say hello to my new family Bats!". the scarecrow got back up slowly, confronting the Knight. in the distant a flock of bats appeared. As the bats approached the crows started towards them with the echoing sounds of the two flocks heard from all the residents who were peering out their windows, terrified from what was going on below. Chaos yet again ensued on Gotham's streets, not surprising to the Knight. The sound of the crows and bats and they're fluttering wings in the midst of the pouring rain and foggy night was present in the foreground as the Knight and Scarecrow started their long and tiring fist fight, Both throwing punches and kicks, as the bats and crows collided above the two enemies in heated battle. "Its your turn to die Bats" the Scarecrow yelled as he released a cloud of fear gas through his grimy cowl. "aghhhh!" yelled the Knight as he inhaled the toxin.
The toxin kicked in, causing hallucinations. His vision now twisted, he saw the fearful sights around him. The crows looked menacing and twice their normal size with glowing red eyes and the bats with long sharp teeth and giant wings. "Relax Bruce! you've experienced these effects before! Its all your imagination!" said the Knight to himself. "Do you feel fear Batman?" laughed Scarecrow. The Scarecrow jumped and threw the Knight to the ground. The stunned Knight threw himself up. "Gather yourself Bruce! You can do this!". The Knight composed himself as the Scarecrow threw another punch, only to be stopped by the Knight in mid swing. "This ends now Scarecrow!" screamed the Knight as he drove Scarecrows fist into into his face. The Crow dropped to the ground once again, with the knight now on top of him. The radio dispatchers voice picked up "All squad cars have been directed to Ferguson for pick up". The Sirens and Lights echoed and glowed across the streets as they approached the chaotic scene of crows and bats that filled the air, now dropping in the hundreds to the ground as both flocks collided with one another. "What in gods name is going on over there?!" Yelled Gordon.
"HAHAHA! This isn't over Batman, Remember I still have the girl!". "Where is she" yelled the knight. "Aha thats a very good question. You'll find her strapped to a bomb on the crane where Dr. Crane died, but your to late Batman, you wont make it. She'll soon be as handsome as me! hahahaha!". The Knight roared with anger as he hurled scarecrow aside with the Gotham police and handcuffs right behind. "we'll take it from here Batman" said Gordon.
The knight grabbed his grappling gun and shot the hook latching it to the side of a building. The tumbler lie there rumbling as the Knight entered and floored it as the tires screeched under pressure and launched. The Tumblers engine roared with a ferocious snarl as it raced in and out of traffic towards the narrows. There lie the beautiful blonde haired, green eyed Rachel, Bruce Wayne's childhood friend and on and off girlfriend, hanging off the same crane that Scarecrow fell off of that horrid night. Sweat and tears rolled off her face as she dangled from the crane with a bomb ticking above the hazards below. She cried hysterically as she saw the time remaining on the bomb "2:45". All she could think of was of him, Bruce Wayne. "I love him. I don't know why I didn't see it before but he's the one.".
A roaring sound and shaking occurred below when she caught sight of the Tumbler thrashing through the docks towards the crane. "Bruce!' screamed Rachel. "Rachel" Bursted The Knight. The Tumblers Hatch opened as the Knight aimed the grappling gun towards the crane trying to steady his shot. He fired and hooked "clink" as it caught the metal frame of the crane. He landed right above Rachel. "Bruce, you came for me!". "Of course i did" spoke the Knight with a worried undertone. HE untied her as his eyes peered toward the bomb ticking "00:45".
He grabbed her and glided down above the tumbler with the immediate explosion behind hurling them on top of the tank. "Are you ok?" gnarled the worried Knight. "Yeah" whispered Rachel faintly, covered with cuts and grime across her face, arms, and legs. They lay there bruised and exhausted breathing heavily and coughing from the smoke and rubble. Rachel turned her face towards the knights cowl and layed her hand on it as she pulled his face to hers as she whispered faintly. "I love you Bruce. I don't know why I couldn't say it before, but up there, All i was thinking of was you." The Knight looked into Rachel's eyes with his usual grim and unshaven face softening for the first time in a very long time. "I love you too" whispered the Knight... I always have. "