Note: Hi everyone. This is my very first fanfiction that I've published here. It was inspired by a Dark Knight Trilogy marathon. When I got to the Dark Knight Rises, I began wondering how crime could have just stopped with Batman's taking the blame for Dent's death. Then I came to this conclusion: it didn't. This story is a bridge between the second and third movies. Without further adieu...
Setting:
It's been a month since Batman went on the run for the murders of Detective Wuertz, Sal Maroni, his chaffier Luis Benzino, and most importantly, Harvey Dent. By now, Bruce Wayne is considering giving up the cowl and retiring as his crime-fighting alter ego, as the streets of Gotham are nearly clean and the GCPD, with a new Dent Act in the works, can handle the rest, it seems. However, a self-proclaimed successor to the Joker and a masked fascist with world ambitions serve to keep Batman on his feet at every turn. And this time, the police are not allies but enemies. Can Wayne finally retire, or will Gotham burn in the aftermath of the events of The Dark Knight?
Character and notes:
-Bruce Wayne/Batman: The billionaire playboy with the secret identity of Batman. He's got a lot on his mind at the moment: rebuilding Wayne Manor, running his company, crime levels in the city, and wonders if he'll ever love again. He's still debating on whether the decision to take the blame for Harvey's murders is the right one. For now it seems the lie is working, but not everything in this city is what it seems to be. The appearance of two new threats compels him to don the costume one last time before retiring.
-Alfred: Bruce's ever loyal butler and the closest thing to a real parent, he is satisfied with his master's decision to stay out of the limelight as batman and wishes him to move on from Rachel's death and run his company. Burdened with the secret of Rachel's now destroyed letter, Alfred encourages Bruce to move on and find new love, although Bruce seems intent on remaining single for the moment.
-Detective Stephens: Stephens is an interesting character in The Dark Knight, being the only non-corrupt cop in Gordon's unit and the only one he really trusted. Here I imagine Gordon trusting him with the secret of Batman and Harvey Dent, and also charging him with the task of discussing anything that needs to be discussed with Batman. That being said, he is going to play a big role in this story, taking the place of Gordon for the most part as he (Gordon) can't be associated with the murderer of a public attorney.
-Harley Quinn: A woman with the same ideals and motives as the Joker, she has managed to single-handedly take control of the Joker's gang and keep it a force to be reckoned with. Currently her background and whereabouts are unknown, like the Joker. This version of Harley will be different that the one comic book readers know. For one, she's not in mad love with the Joker as most depictions of her show. I'm also taking some inspiration from Batman: Arkham City and the in-game downloadable content for her character and motives.
-Black Mask: By day, Roman Sionis is the head of Sionis Industries, a major steel and coal mining company in the Northeast. By night he is the Black Mask, the head of a Fascist cabal/cartel focused on spreading their ideology throughout both the criminal underworld and the governments of the planet. Inspired by Call of Duty's Raul Menendez, the Alex Rider Series's Scorpia, and of course the comic book Black Mask. I always thought Black Mask would have worked better with the whole mask theme in the Dark Knight Rises, so here he is.
-John Daggett: Yes, that one. The one from the Dark Knight Rises. In this story, he is the head of his small construction company when Sionis Industries rolls in town, becoming a big rival to his business. After failing to try to outdo the completion, Daggett realizes that if you can't beat them, join them. Though he won't be sad if Sionis Industries goes bankrupt. Or Wayne Enterprises, for that matter.
Next chapter soon...