Title: The Bat, The Clown, and The Wolf
Chapter Title: Chapter 1
Summary: When the Joker hears there's a way for him to become immortal through a book that will be in the Gotham City Museum's new exhibits he can't help but be a little interested. So the robbery goes as planned, but during the process of testing the immortality that the book promises events transpires that leave Harley incapacitated. Not too soon after this top scientists and regular citizens begin to disappear and Harley is the only one who can help. What's causing these disappearances and who is behind them you'll have to read to find out.
Disclaimer: I do not own Batman: The Animated Series.
The front of the Gotham City Museum was filled with reporters. There was a buzz among the reporters over what was to happen within a few minutes. "Did you hear that Bruce Wayne is coming?" asked one reporter.
"Yeah, I didn't figure he was in to this kind of stuff." replied another reporter.
"Me neither." replied the other reporter.
"But you've got to admit that it really isn't that surprising." said a new reporter entering on the conversation.
"Yeah, you're right Wayne is always in stuff that will get him in good with the public." said the first reporter.
"What do you expect from the city's wealthiest philanthropist." said the third reporter. The rest of this conversation didn't go on for long because just minutes later a limousine pulled up and the person who emerged from it was none other than Bruce Wayne. The police cleared a path directly to the front of the museum where the mayor waited at a podium. After Bruce was shown to his seat, the mayor began to speak. "People of Gotham City I would like to announce that today a new exhibit to our museum has been added. Now you are probably wondering, 'What is this new exhibit about?', well this new exhibit follows the many ancient folklore, myths, and tales of the world. And -"
"Sir, why was this -"
"Please save all questions for later." the mayor said. "Now as I was about to say, it is only through the money donated by Mr. Wayne that this exhibit was able to be bestowed upon our humble museum." with that the mayor gestured toward Bruce, who stood briefly to be acknowledged by the weak applause that followed. "Now with that being said let's head inside so that Mr. Wayne might do the honors of dedicating this new exhibit." The museum doors opened and the mayor, Bruce, and the crowd of reporters flooded into the museum. There was another podium underneath a banner that read: "The Legends of the World Made Known." Right below that was the typical red ribbon waiting to be cut to officially open the exhibit. This time it was Bruce who took the stand to give a short speech. "I would like to say that I hope this new addition to our museum is able to enrich the lives of people both culturally and educationally; that it can give us a better understanding of the many cultures of the world; and that it may help us to learn that there are many diverse cultures out in the world that have ingenious methods for explaining the existence of so many things in the world." With that said Bruce stepped down from the podium, was given a pair of scissors, and, while posing for the picture that would flood the newspapers, cut the red ribbon.
As part of the opening the mayor and Bruce, after the mayor had convinced him to stay around a little longer, gave a tour of the many exhibits contained within. There were quite a few things to showoff, though only a couple were really exciting. The questions the reporters had were typical for the situation: "What is this", "What is that", "What's the background on that", and "Where did this originate?" All these questions were the standard ones that the mayor had planned for and knew how to answer without sounding like an unintelligent fool. The final exhibit that was on this tour was an gray, leather-bound, and very dusty looking book. "This is the Book of Legends it contains nearly all the best known figures in Old and New World lore. It wasn't easy to acquire it for our museum but with some good fortune, persuasion, and some financial backing from Mr. Wayne we were able to get it." said the mayor with a grin and a playful jab with his elbow toward Bruce. "Any questions before we conclude the tour?" A hand shot up from the very back. "Yes."
"Yeah, uh, can I have it please?" asked a female voice followed from the sound of bubble gum popping.
"Ah, I'm afraid you can't ma'am." said the mayor in a dumbfounded state from having heard such a ridiculous question.
"Oh, well I guess I'll just take it." said the lady in the back. The sound of gunfire was heard moments later as men in clown make up stripped off the reporter disguises they had been wearing. The lady who had asked the question stepped forward and stripped off the disguise she had been wearing as well to reveal Harley Quinn. "Now if you don't mind Mistah Mayor I'll be takin' that book." Harley made her way up to the glass case enclosing the book, as her goons forced everyone to the ground giving them orders to keep their heads down and to shut up. Harley looked at the book for a moment, before taking a hammer given to her by one of the goons and smashing the case. With quick, agile hands she snatched the book up, gave the order to leave, and soon the room was filled with only frightened reporters.
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The museum robbery was all over the news for the entirety of that day and tomorrow. When the museum curator was questioned about the museum's security guards and alarm system it was later discovered that the guards had been incapacitated and the alarm cut. The robbery had been able to eclipse the museum's new exhibits as front line news. The police were put on a city wide man-hunt for the Book of Legends that Harley had stolen with little effect; even Batman and Robin had little luck. Though if anyone had suffered the most from this robbery it had been Bruce, who couldn't believe he had been so careless as to let Harley slip under his nose the way she did.
It probably was into the fifth night of his and Robin's search that they were fortunate enough to run across one of Joker's goons drunk. After a few minutes of interrogating they were given the location of a nearby warehouse where the Joker was held up. When they arrived they saw that the Joker hadn't bothered to fortify the warehouse should they had been discovered. "I guess he didn't plan on stayin' long." Robin said aloud.
"Guess not." Batman replied.
"I'll go from the top." Robin said as he shot up his grappling hook toward the roof.
When he opened the doors Batman saw that at the center of the room was the Book of Legends. Knowing better he threw a batarang, testing for any traps that may have been set. When nothing happened he cautiously approached the book waiting for something he knew would happen. But when he reached the stand and picked up the book nothing still happened. He made the mistake of letting his guard down for a long enough time for him to be struck over the heard. As he fell to the floor he could hear Harley's voice saying, "Uh uh uh, no touching."
A/N: Well there's chapter one hope y'all like it. I encourage everyone who reads this to review, but please only constructive reviews I will not stand for any bashing or flamers.
P.S. I may switch this story over to a M rating if it gets what I feel like is too bloody.