Author's note: So… Yeah. New story. Give me a moment while I figure out why I put these in front of every chapter I write.

It was a cold, dark, night in Gotham. Not the best time to be one of Black Mask's goons, as the two fellows who had just been pushed off the roof of the Gotham Museum of Art and into the dumpster below had just realized. Well, they might've if they were still conscious.

Batman examined the rest of the roof. There was nothing of more interest than the entrance to the staircase and a skylight, aside from a third henchman, who was looking through the skylight and hadn't noticed Bruce's presence. Batman kicked him, and he fell through the glass and into the midst of several other thugs. He dropped down, landing on two of their heads, before jumping forward and tackling a third. He grabbed a fourth and threw him into the fifth. The sixth and final opponent tried to shoot him, but Batman grabbed the gun and clubbed him with it. Bruce dropped the gun, and avoided someone who lunged at him from behind. The man stood up. He was short, thin, and dressed in tattered, mismatched, almost patchwork clothing. He stood up with a wicked grin on his face.

"Hello, Batman."

"Bringing an entourage, Ragdoll? Not your style," said Batman, "Not very subtle, either."

Ragdoll began to back up.

"Hey, I just do what I'm paid for. If you want me to pull my heists differently, you can take it up with Black Mask."

Batman prepared to fight.

"I will."

Ragdoll prepared to lunge, and Batman drew a batarang, glaring intensely.

"Try me," he said.

Instead of attacking, Ragdoll back flipped, turned around, and bolted for the elevator. He dodged away from a batarang, and took a detour through the gloomy halls of the unoccupied museum, in a bid to escape his pursuer. Eventually, he made it to the elevator and, not sure he had finally lost Batman, backed into it, his eyes nervously searching the room. He bumped into something.

"Going down?"

"Nononononononono!" stuttered Ragdoll, trying to escape the elevator before it closed. He was too late.

"Actually, I think you are going down."

Catwoman was about to take a lovely-looking painting of a sleeping cat off of the wall when she heard what sounded like a fight from the other end of the floor.

"Oh, what now?"

I finally get the chance to make my move, and now somebody else is here! Now he's going to show up and ruin all my fun. Then again…

She rounded a corner and discovered the unconscious thugs.

Black Mask again? Great, that's exactly what I needed.

The elevator beeped, and Catwoman hid around the corner. An unconscious Ragdoll was tossed out, followed by Batman.

"Selina. I didn't think you were the type to sell out to Black Mask."

How'd he know I was here?

"Neither did I. That's why his goons have been breathing down my throat for weeks."

Batman's eyes narrowed.

"What? I didn't take anything! Yet…"

"You were going to."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

"It's not like I can be convicted of anything."

"So there are no other burglaries you're wanted for?"

No response. Batman peered around the corner, and just barely was able to see Catwoman running away. He gave chase, following her to the stairs and then the rooftop. He looked around, and found no trace of her. The rooftop was empty, except for a small slip of paper impaled on one of the jagged edges of the shattered skylight. He picked it up and read it.

"'Until next time – Catwoman.'"

He dropped it. If an observer of the scene wasn't familiar with who Batman was, that person might have mistaken the expression on his face for a smile. It wasn't one, because Batman never smiles. So therefore it wasn't a smile. Right?

"Until next time."

Author's note: Getting a little snarky there, aren't we, Mr. Narrator?

And then the mighty power of the narrator reached beyond the fourth wall, and punched the author in the face.

You do realize I could just stop writing you, right?

But the narrator knew the author would not do that, because

So, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I'll try to update this regularly. Anyway, please leave a review, because I'm happy to see compliments or constructive criticism. Goodbye!