A.N.: And so marks the beginning of another story for Project Dark Jade. To my readers of Kage don´t worry, that story is not discontinued or anything, but I had this idea for a time and since I am a huge fan of Eduard´s Kassel "A Shadow of the Titans" I always wanted to also do a crossover of JCA with a DC series. No one seemed to have tried anything with Batman Arkham Asylum videogame, so I though why not? Also, it is my way of celebrating the arrival of Batman Arkham Origins that launches this week.
One warning, this fic will be considerably darker than Kage, but I will not exceed what the games have showned, don´t worry about it.
I have to also give some credit to Vladimir Zhivanevskaya with his story "A MAD Heir". In that story JCA and Inspector Gadget belong in the same Earth, same Universe and the same applies to this story in which Batman Arkham verse is part of JCA world (or is it the opposite?).
Betaed by:Zim´sMostLoyalServant
Psychiatric session #1
Arkham Asylum, West Section, Penitentiary, Cell Block Area, two weeks after Joker´s rampage
A heavy metal door opens and through it walks Aaron Cash, one of most senior and respected security guard in the whole Arkham Asylum. A man that had the reputation of handling most of the toughest inmates. And even more famous is his hook that replaces his left hand eaten by one of the inmates, Killer Croc.
Obviously the inmates would shout insults and obscenities as soon as he enters.
"Hey Cash, come over here so I can cut you a new smile."
"How about a night with me, handsome? I promise to be… breathless, to you at least, he he he!"
"Hey Hook, are you looking for your Croc? Why not try the sewers?"
"Need a hand Cash?"
Cash grunts as he enters and goes straight to the nearest guard.
"Mr. Cash sir, for what do I have the honor?" asked the guard as he saluted to which Cash salutes back.
"At ease rookie, I simply want to take Bloody Froggy for her session with Dr. Strange." said Cash as he looks at one of the new guards that were hired after that night.
"You mean inmate 013156, called Jade Chan, 12 years old, convicted…"
"I know all about her son, thank you. I was there when she was processed to the Asylum." said Cash interrupting the energetic guard.
"My apologies sir. I think that I am being a little overzealous, right?" asked the guard in an apologetic tone.
"It´s alright, you have been in here like what, a week? You still don´t know the ropes. Now come on." said Cash as he starts to walk again.
"Of course sir." said the guard as he accompanies Aaron Cash as they walk in into one of the wings of the cell block area.
And of course being showered with insults and profanities all the way, but then again every guard as to get use to the inmates jeers, and Cash had to admit that the rookie was handling his nerves well considering that he was only slightly sweating.
"Can you actually believe it sir?" asked the guard.
"Believe in what?" asked Cash.
"That the asylum would get its first juvenile inmate I mean. Of all the freaks in here I would never guess to see one day a 12 year old girl." said the guard.
"What´s so surprising? A kid dressed as a traffic light fights crime alongside a man dressed in a bat suit. This is Gotham, son." said Cash.
"Yeah I know, but still, what kind of sicko would kill her own family?" asked the guard.
"Welcome to Arkham Asylum rookie." said Cash with a sigh.
Truth was told there was something more surprising to him than a 12 year old half-frog kid being committed to the Asylum, and that was the return of Hugo Strange. After the evidences and charges of patients and inmates abuses under his care he would have expected that the man would never put his feet on the Asylum again, but somehow he returned. And even more amazing, all evidence disappeared which resulted in all charges to be dropped. Something was going on, or more precisely he felt that something was still going to happen. He could feel it in his bones.
"Here we are, sir." said the guard interrupting Cash´s thoughts.
As Cash looks at the grey metal door, he really wonders how a child would end up in here. Truth be told even he had doubts initially about how a little girl could really kill her own family, insane or not. Granted she was a meta-human, even though a different type if reports were to be believed but still, someone so young ending up in this accursed place? Even to someone like him it sounded tragic.
"Inmate 013156, back to the wall." said the guard as he knocks on the metal door, signaling that they were about to enter.
Silence. No sound, not even a witty remark (to which Cash was used from her by now). Nothing.
Sighing the guard opens the hatch of the cell door and looks at the inside.
Empty. No one was inside.
"What? She is not inside." said the guard in alarm.
"WHAT? OPEN IT ALREADY!" ordered Cash now starting to get nervous of the possibility of an inmate escaping the Asylum.
The guard nodded and unlocked the door with his key. As they enter, they quickly survey the cell. And like previously seen, it was empty. Only some drops of water were on the ground.
"We have to call Central to report her es…" started the guarded but was interrupted by Cash who said:
"Wait, don´t you hear anything?"
The guard stopped and listens closely. Effectively he was hearing faint sounds, almost like someone was huffing.
And it was coming from above them.
They both look at the ceiling and notice a young girl holding on it upside down and doing pushups. Sweat covered her face as it rains to the floor of the cell.
"81…huff, 82…huff, 83…huff. Oh, hi Cash and… new guy. You are new, right?" said the girl smirking at the two guards, the young one stunned at what he was witnessing while Cash merely shrugged his shoulders.
"Froggy, you know the rules. No exercises of any kind inside the cells." said Cash in an exasperated tone, like it wasn´t the first time that this happened, but to be honest he never had caught her stuck in the ceiling doing pushups.
"The… huff… name is… huff… Jade… huff… And… huff… where… huff… should I… huff… doing them?... huff… At the ward... huff… with a thousand… huff… of the crazies… huff… as spectators… huff…? No thanks." said Jade as she continues the pushups.
"Froggy." said Cash in a warning tone.
"Oh fine. I missed count anyway." said Jade in a mocking tone.
The frog girl detaches her toe pads from the ceiling and let her body fall doing an impressive back flip which allowed her to land on her feet.
The new guard looked at Jade in side glance. He had to admit that he hadn´t the chance of patrolling this wing and look at this inmate. She was dressed like the other inmates with an orange jumpsuit except for a collar around her neck to keep her from using her wind powers at least. The frog traits like the green skin, webbed fingers on both hands and feet, inflated cheeks that looked more like airbags, bags under her eyes and three small bumps on her forehead didn´t hide her obvious human traits. Compared to Killer Croc she really looked more human, even though when meta-humans were concerned the line between humanity and monstrosity was very blurred.
Jade seemed to pick of his distaste and fear in his eyes and frowns at him.
"What are you looking at?" said Jade in hostility as she glares at the guard.
"Only to a f…"
"That´s enough talk, rookie. Go fetch the chains, we are already late to bring her to Dr. Strange." said Cash as he looks at the guard.
For a minute the guard looks harshly at Jade, but then turns and walks outside the cell. Now it was just Cash and Jade.
"So you protected me? I´m touched." said Jade smirking mockingly at Cash.
"More like protect him from YOU. I still remember what you did to the last guard that insulted you." said Cash.
"He had it coming, besides it wasn´t so bad, he is still breathing, right?" said Jade.
"Yeah, from a tube." said Cash frowning at Jade. The new guards really need to be careful around this girl. They think that they can take advantage of her and all end up beaten up each time. The worst was actually with another inmate that she nearly strangled with her long tongue.
Cash sighs and looks at her cell, seeing some images that were drawn with ink, one of a clown similar to the Joker hanged, another of the a bat with a red circle and a stride in the middle and below it was written: BATS NOT ALLOWED. And several others with clowns and bats being eaten by big frogs, all around the cell.
"I see that you have been busy." commented Cash.
"Like my new décor? Thanks, but I feel that a few posters are needed, but unfortunately its prohibited." said Jade still smirking even though Cash could see some strange gleam on her eyes, not directed to him but at the pictures.
"So, who is my new shrink? I hope that he is better than Dr. Young." said Jade as she looks curiously at Cash.
"Phew, compared to him Young was a saint, so I wouldn´t have my hopes high if I were you." said Cash snorting.
"Joy." said Jade in a sarcastic tone.
The sound of chains announced the guard that returned with the chains to secure her. Not that it was needed since because of the stupid electric collar on her neck she can´t use her wind powers to blast the walls without getting the shock of her life. And she did try.
"Alright Froggy, you know the drill. Hands on the back of your head."
It was good to be back. Granted that sentiment only applied to his office since Hugo Strange pretty much despised every other part of the Arkham Asylum and its incompetent staff. Except of course the Arkham Mansium, in his eyes the place was perhaps the last vestige of the genius and vision of a man that truly wanted to reform Gotham, Amadeus Arkham. A pity what happened to him in the end, despite the sense of irony in it. As he admires the 19th century colonial look of his office, his sight falls on a sword hanging on the wall, a katana to be more precise, a present from his benefactor, the man that not only permited his return to Arkham but also was providing funds for his plans. If all goes well Gotham will be no more threatned by the insane, no longer plagued by crime. He would succeed where the Dark Knight failed.
Speaking of the Dark Knight Strange frowns to himself at what happened not even two weeks ago, when the Joker in a surprising move was able to take over the Asylum and nearly bypass every security measures placed by his pawn Quincy Sharp the current warden. Granted his suggestions of those measures was to see if they could hold the inmates when he starts up his own project, but clearly they revealed themselves to be inadequate, save perhaps for delaying Batman.
"Hum, maybe using them for that purpose is not such a bad idea." mumbled Strange as he reclines in his chair, thinking of what he may learn in analyzing all the video records and testimonies about that night. As much as he hated to admit it, he may actually have to thank the Joker for this small test for his true project. Even better, if public reaction is any indication this whole fiasco may revert in his favor in the end, all he has to do is work Sharp´s image, just a notch or two.
"Still, what matters right now is this curious case. I wonder what the clown saw in you, and what happened between you and the Dark Knight." said Strange as he narrows his eyes in concentration, looking at the mugshots of a 12 year old Chinese girl that was also a meta-human.
A knock on the door stops Strange musings about the newly famous Bloody Froggy and then he says:
"Come in."
The door opens and Aaron Cash enters accompanied by another guard, someone new Strange presumed, and also with the patient that he was hoping to interview. The girl called Jade Chan, aka Bloody Froggy. She really has the Asian traits of Chinese people, no doubt about that. Also despite her transformation into an half frog like being for the most part Strange could see the human traits that she maintained, particulary her face despite the swollen cheeks: black hair that was still arranged in the same style as in the pictures, short nose, brown eyes with normal pupils. Indeed he couldn´t deny her previous human origin. Then again it is possible that whatever changed her could still be on going, pretty much like Killer Croc became less and less human as time passed and his mutation proceded.
"Ms. Chan, it is a pleasure to finally be your acquaintance." greeted Strange as he looks at the young girl.
Jade merely shrugs and raises her cuffed hands as much as she can, considering the chain around her waist only allowed to raise them a little.
"I hope that you excuse me for not properly greeting you, but as you can see my hands are a little tied up. And my feet too so please forgive me for not jumping in joy." said Jade in a mocking tone as she smirks at him.
But instead of the frown or the verbal lash that some of these so called psychiatrists normally do, this one merely chuckled at her remark.
"Spirited, that´s good. Considering your circumstances that is actually a good sign." said Strange smiling an enigmatic smile as he stares at Jade.
Now Jade´s eyes narrowed and her body tensed up. She could already tell that this guy was not the same as Young or the others so called specialists, and that actually scared her. Just who the heck is this guy?
"You may leave us." said Strange as he dismisses the guards.
The new guard leaves the office without hesitation but Aaron Cash stays and looks at Strange in a suspicious manner.
"Do you want something else Mr. Cash?" said Strange with an ice edge on his voice which prompts Aaron Cash to act.
"Oh nothing, sorry, just got distracted by something on my mind." apologized Cash even though is tone was everything but apologetic.
"I see. Of you go Mr. Cash." said Strange still with an icy tone.
Cash goes to the door and still turns and looks at Hugo Strange in the eyes, but it only lasted for moment as he turns back and leaves the office.
"Well, Cash doesn´t seem to like you." said Jade smirking once again.
"It´s natural, besides his slight paranoid complex resulted from his loss, he always resented me for my reports of the inadequacy of most of the security personnel of this facility." said Strange while he folds some papers.
"Tch, more like the whole facility. No offense but this place is a giant swiss cheese considering how many times most of its inmates escape." said Jade.
"You didn´t." said Strange making Jade frown.
"I didn´t try to escape if that´s what you mean." said Jade in a venomous tone.
"I know, the reports clearly indicate that you had many chances to escape and yet didn´t take any of them. Care to enlighten me for why?" asked Strange now raising an eyebrow.
"If I did, how would that prove my innocence?" said Jade in a defiant tone.
For a few moments Hugo Strange remains still, his hands close to his head as in contemplating something. Then he says:
"Please, have a seat Ms. Chan."
Jade moves toward the chair with some difficulty, considering the short chain that binds the cuffs of her hands to the ones on her feet. When you are dragged by two strong male guards you practically don´t have a need to move after all. But eventually Jade sits on the chair.
"It´s just Jade. No Ms. Chan and even less Bloody Froggy. My name is Jade." said Jade staring at Strange.
"Fair enough Ms… Jade." said Strange.
They simply stare at each other for a few moments and then Strange asks:
"Do you have any idea as for why you were brought to me?"
"Hum… considering what happened to the late Dr. Young, I presume that you will take from where she left?" asked Jade in a curious tone. If she has to deal with this white coat then she might as well know what she´s in for."
"Not exactly. Considering what happened two weeks ago Warden Quincy Sharp wants a full revaluation of every patient in this institution. We believe that the previous personnel… lacked in understanding their patients mind which resulted in what you know happened." said Strange.
Jade chuckled, but it was not joyful laugh. A dry, completely sarcastic laughter escaped from her lips.
"So you are here to try another infallible method for psychiatric reformation or whatever cure you believe you can administer to the nuts around here? Young methods didn´t let her go that far, did they? And what about a certain intern that later became Joker´s bride, or at least that´s what she thinks." said Jade now looking suspiciously at him.
"Yes, both Dr. Young demise and Ms. Quinzel fall from grace are a black ink on our profession… credibility, but you misunderstood me Jade. What I will do to you in the next few days is evaluate your mental health." said Strange smirking slightly.
Jade was looking at him slightly surprised.
"In other words, you will determine my sanity again." said Jade.
"Yes, which is something that we have been doing to the other patients these two weeks, and now it´s your turn." said Strange.
Jade frowns at this and then reclines in her chair and says:
"No."
"No?" asked Strange in curiosity.
"You heard me. I don´t want to take any part in your little experiments anymore. I am sick and tired of feeling like a guinea pig as you gaze upon me strapped in a straightjacket and throwing the most absurd theories about my supposed insanity and refute my claims of innocence. I already know how this will go so why don´t you do a favor to both of us and stamp on my file as insane again so that we can at least not end up at each other´s throat." said Jade gazing harshly at Strange.
But Hugo Strange merely smiled at her gaze and says:
"My, my, it seems that Dr. Young left in you an interesting impression of us. By law I can´t force you to take this revaluation, but I can advise you in taking it again." said Strange. Of course he could use other methods in order to extract what he wants from her but even to him torture on children is something that he doesn´t approve. Besides it is not as effective as with adults so there really is no point in doing it anyway.
"Why? Why should I?" asked Jade with the same venomous tone on her voice.
"Because it will be like you taking your first evaluation, you can tell all of your story and what happened according to what you believe to be the truth. Only then I will make my decision." said Strange.
Jade was puzzled by his insistence. Normally the others would have left by now, so why, what is he looking for?
"There are evidences of my culpability, you know that since I can see my file in your desk, so why the interest in me?" said Jade still looking suspiciously at him.
"Truth be told you are an interesting case, one of the very few patients on this institute that claims innocence and by far the one that persisted in those claims. So I want to verify if they are by any chance truth full or not." said Strange.
But Jade was not convinced by his explanation. He wanted something else, she knows that, but what?
"On the other hand as you clearly pointed before your previous evaluation was biased and it is clearly noticeable some pressure in rushing it. So even if there was no incident I would made a revaluation of your case, I can assure you of that." said Strange while his eyes look at Jade, his eyes penetrating her own, as if trying to study her.
On one hand Jade doesn´t like how his eyes seem to examine her like she was some exotic bird, but on the other this one has listening far more than any of the others. It may still lead to nothing, but what she got to lose?
"After your decision, what happens to me?" asked Jade in suspicious tone.
"Well, worse you can´t possibly get, that much I assure you, but if I declare you sane then your sentence passes for committed for life in this institution to a life sentence on Blackgate Penitentiary." said Strange.
"So I just trade one cage for another? Uau, big reward." said Jade in a sarcastic tone.
"Blackgate is a more stable establishment than this one, with sane inmates which would make your life easier, don´t you agree? It would be like being transferred from an adult prison to a juvenile one." said Strange.
Jade pondered this. Granted it would be an improvement from her current condition, she had to admit that. Besides she doubts that there is a worse place than this Asylum. Even the Netherworld was paradise when compared to this hellhole.
"Besides, one thing that I assure you that a sane convict claiming innocence gains more attention in this town than an insane convict claiming innocence. Your chances of proving it would increase exponentially as soon as you leave this place." reasoned Strange.
She had to admit this deal may be the best that she had ever since what happened to her recently. At most she could try and find a way to prove her innocence once her mental status change.
Still there is one last question that Strange has to answer before she agrees.
"Why should I trust you? Recent experiences showed me that you can´t trust others that easily." said Jade as she narrows her eyes at Strange.
"I believe that you are referring to Batman, right?" asked Strange.
Jade´s eyes narrow even further.
"Let me put things this way Jade, while many in Gotham worship the Dark Knight and even believe that he brought a greater good to our town, deep down no one will fully trust in a man that hides behind a cape and a mask." said Strange in a harsh tone surprising Jade.
"With that said, I will not claim that you can trust me like he probably told you. Therefore there are no lies and no betrayals between us. Granted you may hide things from me as I will hide things from you. But ultimately it is your choice to accept my deal or not. You have nothing more to lose and much to gain if you accept, so believe me that your life can only get better if you let me help you." said Strange.
Jade ponders about this. She knows that there are no good intentions behind Hugo Strange words, he simply wants something that her story may reveal, and she could bet it has something to do with either Batman or Joker. However, he is absolutely right, currently her situation can´t get much worse, so the only way now is going up, up and up.
"Very well, I accept it." said Jade.
"Excellent, you made the right decision. But before we begin make yourself comfortable and eat whatever you desire. This first session will take us the rest of the day." said Strange as he opens and wooden box.
Looking at its content Jade´s eyes bulge. Candy canes, chocolates, sweets, even lollipops. At that sight her stomach growls in protest. That´s right, right now it should be around breakfast, she thinks.
To Strange´s slight surprise instead of the frog girl lifting from her chair and take something with her hand she opens her mouth and in an instant a long tongue shoots faster than bullet, striking at the box without smashing or moving it despite the force of the impact, then it recedes as quickly as it came, with a lollipop that was now on her mouth.
"Did you have to do that?" asked Strange in a slight annoyed tone.
"No, but it is fun. The look on your face." said Jade giggling softly to herself.
Hugo Strange sighs and starts to search for something in his desk. Eventually he founds a voice recorder and places it in the desk, right in front of Jade.
"My, that´s an antique. Never heard of DVD´s, or Blue-Ray?" asked Jade raising an eyebrow.
"The old methods should never be put to rest as long as they are useful. But I digress, proceed Jade. Start by telling me how you got your current… condition." said Strange.
Jade´s eyes shift to an almost nostalgic look, eyes that have already shed their tears and yet they still show an enormous pain in her heart.
"Well, it all started two months ago, the last adventure that I had with Jackie, Uncle and Tohru…"
And there you have it. What happened for our favorite young girl end up locked up in one of the most infamous prison on fiction. That question and more will be answered as the story unfolds, so stay tuned.
Next on "A Frog in Arkham Asylum":
When a frog hops, a clown smiles