Terror in Gotham
Goodbye
The Gotham City graveyard was always empty in the evening. Bruce Wayne knew this and often visited it around this time. It was so peaceful; it seemed unaffected by the world around it. Usually he would visit the grave of his parents but today was different. He stood at a small tombstone which would likely go unnoticed by passersby. The tombstone was small and an ugly shade of grey with only the name 'Marion Cotillard' printed on it in dull white letters. Few knew that this was in fact the grave of Talia al Ghul, daughter of Ra's al Ghul. Leader of the League of Shadows. The woman that Bruce loved. Gunned down by the Joker in a movie theatre in Hugo Strange's Arkham City. The same theatre where his parents were killed by a deranged gunman. Bruce looked down on the grave. He knew that underneath it was only an empty coffin. Placed there to help appease Gotham's criminals and the masses. He discovered this at the funeral of four of Gotham's most notorious 'super criminals'. Harley Quinn, the distraught ex-lover of the Joker was tossed into the coffin, smashing it and revealing nothing but a note. Bruce was still suffering from that encounter. He sustained several wounds and was currently using a cane. The powerfully potent 'Joker Toxin' entered his system and left him bedridden for several days. But the letter took priority over Bruce's health. The letter was a threat from someone Bruce crossed in Arkham Asylum. He quickly worked out that Doctor Jonathan Crane was the one behind the note. At first he did not believe it, last time he saw Jonathan Crane he was being dragged screaming into the sewers of Arkham by Killer Croc. Bruce assumed he'd perished from that. However his theory was proven accurate the same day that he'd received the letter when he learned Carmen Falcone, the crime lord in charge of the 'Roman Empire' had gone insane and was being transferred to Blackgate Penitentiary, the temporary holding place for Gotham's criminals and the insane, until Arkham Asylum was reopened. The Roman Empire was now under the control of a man named Dennis Adams. Little was known of him and he stayed out of the limelight. Bruce assumed Crane had created a new name for himself. Something was coming, something big and Bruce knew he couldn't waste his time in bed. He had to act and discover who this Dennis Adams was.
"Bruce Wayne?" said a calm voice behind Bruce. He turned and seen Commissioner James Gordon. In Bruce's opinion, the most honest man in Gotham. He was wearing a long trench coat and in his hand he held a bouquet of white flowers.
"Evening, commissioner" Bruce replied, his voice was slightly hesitant. He was caught at a grave which the police tried very hard to hide.
"What are you doing here?" Gordon asked.
"Just visiting my parents" Bruce lied.
"Oh" Gordon replied awkwardly. "I'm sorry"
"It's alright, you've done more than enough to help me" Bruce flashed a charming smile. He remembered that night. When his parents were killed. He remembered Gordon, how polite he was, he treated Bruce with respect and did his best to help him through that horrific incident. Gordon's eyes darted back and forth from Bruce to the grave. "I thought I recognised the name" Bruce explained as he turned to the grave. "But I was mistaken"
"Of course" Gordon said with a forced grin. His attention turned to Bruce's cane. "What happened to you?"
"Arkham City was a bit rough" Bruce said with a chuckle.
"Bruce. If I knew that was what he was planning to do" Gordon began.
"It's alright Gordon" Bruce told him. "I'm fine now anyway" he smiled and then looked to his watch. "I better get going"
"Right, yeah, of course" Gordon said gladly. "Goodbye Bruce"
"Goodbye" Bruce smiled and he limped away from the grave. However his journey had not yet ended. He made sure Gordon was no longer looking at him and journeyed towards another grave similar to Talia's with the name 'Jackson Nichols' on it in the same white font. The grave of the Joker. Bruce stood at the grave and thought for a long time. Thought about everything Joker had done. How he crippled Barbara Gordon and brutally murdered young Jason Todd. Of all the things he had done to the people of Gotham, how time and time again he tried to destroy them, with that ruby grin constantly imprinted on his face. He showed no remorse for the things he had done. These events were disgustingly horrific and yet Bruce could not bring himself to feel anything but pity at the loss of his mighty foe. The two needed each other; Bruce reluctantly had to accept that fact. But he also had to come to grips with the lost of the Joker, for Gotham's sake. He needed to stop more blood from being spilled because of what Hugo Strange had done.
"Goodbye" Bruce sighed. He turned from the grave and left the graveyard. Leaving the Joker behind.