The night was cold as a winter evening. It was a winter evening, in fact. Snow rained onto a dark, rusty city, covering the rooftops with a soft, white, puffy substance, and patching the streets with the same. This city was unlike any other city. This was Gotham, the most wretched and filthy place on the face of the earth. Corpses littered the alleyways, whether they be of police officers, the petty crooks, or the poor civilians that got wrapped up in bad situations. A trio, consisting of a father and mother, as well as their son, walked over the corpses almost obliviously. They had just exited a theater, having gone to see a movie about a master swordsman. If only he were a gunman, as to teach the three how to handle the approaching danger. A man stepped out, shrouded in darkness. He stared at the boy before pulling out a gun and glancing at the two parents. "The Waynes… What a surprise. Where's your guards, eh?" The father looked at the man and, voice shaky, replied ""W-we don't have them with us." The man's grin was visible as he shot the father in the chest. "OH MY GOD! JAMES!" cried the mother as she watched her husband get murdered. The shooter fired another bullet, this time at the horrified mother. The boy looked up in terror as the killer pointed the gun towards him. "Give me one reason not to kill you, you rich piece 'a crap. Go ahead." The boy, teary eyed, replied "You've taken my family.. Wh-why take me?" The killer sighed and walked away. Revenge was all that was on that little boy's mind now. He didn't, dare it be said, 'bat' an eye at the chance of giving up. He would make this man pay. Bruce Wayne wasn't going to stop until he got his revenge.
20 YEARS LATER...Wayne Manor was filled with a steady stream of sunlight, waking its wealthiest resident, Bruce T. Wayne. Bruce stood up and rubbed his eyes, groggily walking out of his bedroom. "Alfred. Prepare me a coffee." A suited man stood up, having just finished cleaning under the couch. "Of course, sir." As evident, this was Alfred Pennyworth, the house butler of Bruce Wayne and his adopted son, Richard Grayson. In fact, Richard had just ran out, awake and excited as ever. "Yo, Bruce! Mornin' to ya!" He was a young boy at the age of 13, with dark brown hair and large blue eyes. Bruce acknowledged him, half-awakedly waving at him. "Good morning, Dick." Richard gave a smile and ran towards the bookcase in the living room. "So, you ready to go patrol the streets?" Bruce sighed and replied "Too early. Let me drink my coffee first." Bruce walked into the kitchen, where a cup with steam coming from inside was waiting for him. He took a sip, looking back at the TV. "TV on." were all the words needed before the AI that Bruce's tech guy, Lucius Fox, installed into the house turned on the television. "Gotham's streets are still being kept safe by the Batman and his currently unidentified sidekick-" Said the reporter on the news channel before Richard yelled "Unidentified?! I'm Robin! I should be getting some recognition!" Bruce looked at him. "You will. Eventually." Richard sighed and went back to watching the news, which was reporting a series of murders that had happened the previous night. "The killer is currently unknown, but various question marks have been found spray painted onto areas around the crimes. We have named this new threat 'Mister Mystery'."
Bruce looked and hummed. "Dick, open the door for me. We're going out." Richard hit a button on the desk beside him, and the bookcase separated from the wall. In the space behind it, two poles stood, which the duo slid down. They landed in a cave filled with bats, with two chambers on each side of a giant computer. Bruce and Richard stepped into them, coming out as Batman and Robin. "Now Dick, remember-" Richard sighed and droned "Don't stray too far from you, yeah, yeah." Bruce sighed. "You're young. I just want to make sure you're safe. This is Gotham, after all." Richard rolled his eyes and remarked "I'm fine." Bruce had gotten into his assault vehicle, dubbed the Batmobile, when he noticed something on the inside. "Question marks…" He quickly got out. "Dick, I think this "Mister Mystery" is already here-" A voice spoke behind him. "About time you noticed. And, it isn't Mister Mystery. It's the Riddler, and I'm very questionable." Richard ran into the fight, throwing a projectile at Riddler. Bruce quickly jumped onto the stunned villain, throwing a few punches before picking him up and holding him over the water below. "You can either tell me what you're doing here, or I can kill you, right here!" He said, deepening his voice. Riddler laughed and gave a quick rebuttal. "Everyone knows you don't kill, Dark Knight. But, when it comes to ME, I don't bother hesitating!" Riddler quickly threw himself back onto the floor, kicking Bruce off the edge. "Sleep well, detective. Sleep well." Bruce swam hurriedly, trying to find a way out. He found a vantage point, and fired his grapple gun to get up. "Now, for the birdie." Riddler grinned, pulling out a knife and putting it to Richard's throat. Bruce ran up to Riddler and kicked the knife out of his hand. "No. You won't be hurting him." Bruce grabbed Riddler and threw him into the water. "I'LL KILL YOU!" cried an enraged Riddler. "Mark my words, Bat! You're gonna die!" Bruce just ignored him and got back into the Batmobile, Richard following suit. The Batmobile sped off into Gotham City, stopping by an abandoned warehouse. "With the Riddler down, all we need to do now is-" Suddenly, a large creature landed on the windshield. It screeched, reaching in to grab Bruce. The creature, a large bat with torn clothes, flew off, holding Bruce in its arms. "No!" Richard tried to stop the bat, but it got away.
SEVERAL HOURS LATER…Bruce awoke in a small room, having been tied to a chair. In the background, talking and laughing could be heard. "Where.. Where am I?" The noise stopped, and footsteps approached. A figure entered the room, appearing to have a medium suit of armor on. He walked into the light, showing that he was an African-American man with silver plated armor. "Electrocutioner…" growled Bruce. "Why did you bring me here?" Electrocutioner tilted his head slightly and said "Oh, wasn't me. It was a guy who says you're his friend." He grinned and snapped his fingers. Another man entered, with pale white skin and a painted on smile. "Hello, Bats! Miss me?" Bruce glared. "Joker. I should've known." Joker laughed and replied with "Aw, you DO remember me! I always knew you loved me." Bruce's glare grew stronger. "You're full of s-" Joker interjected. "Bup bup bup, no swearing! There may be kids watching!" Joker pressed a button, and several televisions turned on, all showing live video of the conversation occuring. Joker grinned and grabbed a microphone. "Welcome, one, welcome all, to the Joker channel! The only channel you can even watch in Gotham anymore!" He looked at Bruce, still smiling. "Today, we get to unmask the bat! How fun it will be." Joker walked towards Bruce, reaching towards his cowl. Bruce managed to break free and sock Joker in the face. "I'm not gonna allow that." Joker laughed as he wiped a small bit of blood from his lip. "Finally, an actual fight. I thought this was going to be boring." Joker stood up and raised his fists. Bruce kept fighting him, throwing punch after punch at him. Joker went down easily, his face thoroughly bruised. He spit a good deal of blood out, his smile finally fading. Bruce picked him up and broke the window beside of him, showing that he was at the top of a tower. "Give me one reason to let you free." Joker coughed and grunted. "Because.. Unh.. Because I can do this!" He pulled a remote out and pressed the single button on the top, causing the tower's foundation to explode, sending him and Bruce plummeting 50 feet downwards. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!" Yelled Bruce, grabbing Joker by the hand and shooting his grapple to the ledge of a building. Joker laughed, remarking "You, of all people, should know, EVERYTHING'S wrong with me!" Bruce threw him onto the top of the building, jumping onto it himself. "I'm sending you to Arkham." He picked Joker back up and called Richard using the integrated communicator in his cowl. "Robin, come in. I've got Joker. I'll send you my-" Joker's laughing interrupted Bruce. "What's so funny?" Joker grinned wide. "Oh, bats.. Remember the giant, horrifying version of yourself? He's got your little bird." Bruce growled in anger. "You motherf-" Joker once again interrupted him. "Hey! I said, no cursing. People are still watching, you know.." Bruce growled and knocked Joker out, leaving him on the building. He grappled onto another one, gliding off that one. He moved quickly towards where he assumed the giant bat would be. "I'm coming, Dick. I won't let you die.." Bruce arrived at the warehouse minutes later, slowly approaching the entrance. He climbed in through a window, to see that Richard was lying on the ground. "Oh my God…" Bruce ran to Richard, seeing that he was alive, but terribly injured. "I've got to get you out of here.. I'm so sorry.." Richard coughed up blood, replying weakly. "You.. unh.. D-don't need to apologize.. This is.. M-my fault." Bruce started to tear up. "I'm not gonna lose you.. I've already lost enough.." Bruce grabbed Richard and started to run as fast as he could towards Wayne Manor. He hastily called Alfred and said "I need the Batmobile!" Alfred replied "What's your hurry?" Bruce snapped "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DICK IS DYING! I NEED THE BATMOBILE, NOW!" Within seconds, the Batmobile appeared, and Bruce jumped in, putting Richard in the passenger seat. He sped off towards the Manor, repeatedly telling Richard to cling to his life as hard as he could. Once it got to the Manor, the Batmobile drove around the side, stopping once it entered the Batcave. Alfred stood beside it, watching as Bruce got out, dashing to the medical pods. "Master Bruce-" Bruce looked towards Alfred and said "Not now!" Alfred sighed and said "Those are still under repair! Whenever the Joker broke in about a month ago, he damaged the pods. You'll have to find some better doctors!" Bruce deeply sighed, lowering his head. "There's only one thing we can do.. And it's likely the most dangerous thing we can do. We need to send him to Bludhaven." Alfred thought for a second."Bring him here. I'll send him through a Batjet. We've just got to hope to God this works…" Bruce nodded, giving Richard's unconscious body over to Alfred, who sent him off in a small jet, headed towards the city that rivals Gotham in its scum and villainy. Bludhaven.
ON THE STREETS OF BLUDHAVEN...The jet crashed in the middle of a large city, surrounded by streetlights and cars strolling by. Richard awoke, trying to get out, but, in his current state, he wouldn't have been able to make it. A group of people armed with pipes and baseball bats approached, scoffing. "The bat must'a crashed in our city. Let's get this thing open and finish the sonnuva gun!" They opened the door, to see Richard struggling to move. "Oh, look. An injured birdie. Let's put the poor thing down!" One of them said, grinning as he raised his weapon. Then, a mysterious voice interrupted. "That would not be advisable." The thugs gasped as they looked behind them. "Oh crap, it's THAT guy!" A figure, wearing a white cloak and a hood with red streaks, stood among the crowd, his fists raised. "Leave at once, or face my wrath." The thugs sprinted away from the scene, leaving only the vigilante and Richard. "A poor boy stuck in the midst of this city. What is your business here, my child?" Richard coughed and weakly replied. "I was injured.. Batman was supposed to heal me.. Where am I? Who are you?!" The vigilante answered "I am Azrael, and I protect this city from the scum it produces. You must be the Bat's partner, Robin. Your city DOES need you, so I shall do what I must to heal you." Azrael picked up Richard and carried him as he walked to a hospital a mile from where they were standing. The doctors quickly walked towards him. "Azrael! What do you need today?" Azrael looked at the boy he was holding. "This is the famed Batman's partner. I request your aid in bringing him back to health." The doctors all obliged, leading Azrael into a room to work on Richard. After a long inspection, one of them sighed. "This is going to take a full year to repair. He probably won't recover after for a whole 2 more. I hope you have the time to help us out for that long." Azrael hummed. "For this city, I shall always have enough time."
GOTHAM CITY…Bruce sat at the Batcomputer, looking at data from the camera he'd placed on Richard's body. "A whole 3 years before he's well again.. I really screwed up this time." Alfred came to his side. "He is still alive, isn't he? If that much is true, you've done good enough, Master Bruce." Bruce looked at him. "Yeah, I guess that's right." He sighed. "But I should at least try to help." Alfred said "So, you're just gonna leave, and make me take care of the manor on my own for a whole 3 years?" Bruce shook his head. "No. I'm taking you with me. I've set up a Batcave in Bludhaven, as well as secured a manor there. The only thing we have to worry about is coming up with an excuse to leave." Alfred hummed. "Perhaps, sir, we should say you have to take a business vacation?" Bruce nodded. "We'll tell them then." Bruce, putting on his jacket, walked up the steps to Wayne Manor. He exited the front door, entering his car and waiting for Alfred to do the same. "Well, I guess we should go announce our "trip."" The car sped off towards the city's observatory, in which a party Bruce was invited to was taking place.
BLUDHAVEN…Azrael looked over the city from the top of a building. He had a device with him, as to communicate with the doctors. "I can only pray the boy is in good hands.." He heard a voice behind him. "So, you're looking after a child, now?" Azrael turned around to see a man holding two katanas and wearing a half orange, half black suit of metal armor. "Looks like I'll finally be letting someone down by killing you." Azrael growled. "Leave here, Slade. I do not plan on fighting you." Slade scoffed. "You're scared. The Angel of Bludhaven is scared-" Azrael pulled out his sword and slashed at Slade, piercing through his armor. "I do not fear you, fool. I am capabe of sending you down off this building with many different wounds, finally letting your end be caused by the cold ground below. Now, leave." He said sternly. Slade clutched at his cut, a slightly weaker scoff spouting out. "You really think you're some big shot that can just kill me like-" He snapped his fingers. "-that? Go ahead. Do it." Azrael sighed. "Very well." He repeatedly slashed and stabbed at Slade, kicking him off of the building after 5 seconds of swordplay. "What a fool. Like all, he's under the assumption that I am like the bat. He thinks I don't kill." Slade, after falling for a few seconds, was able to hang on to a gargoyle on the side of the building. Blood spilled onto the ground below, and he tried to climb onto the top. He fell once again, this time unable to cling onto anything. He hit the ground, and died. Right at that moment, a skinny, but sillhouetted figure walked up to his body. "Oh, what a shame. I was gonna kill him anyways." A familiar laugh came out. It was the Joker. Right after, Bruce's car sped by, approaching a large mansion. After parking the car, Bruce and Alfred entered the manor, looking around the living room. "The Batcave is right under here, just like in Gotham." Bruce informed Alfred. He clicked on the lights, approaching the bookcase. "I'm heading down. Get any visitors to wait." Bruce pressed the button to open the bookcase, descending into the Batcave, where he suited up in his Batsuit. He sat in the chair next to the Batcomputer, powering the computer on. "Now, to open the surveillance cameras." He pressed a button, simeltaniously sliding a mouse down, clicking it. On the screen, a window popped up, showing live video of the doctors working on Richard. They were stitching up some of the wounds on his body. "I sure hope this works.." One of them said, a worry in his voice. "We're doing fine so far, don't jinx it." One of them stopped and tilted his head. "Hey, something's not right here…" The others looked at him. "How so?" He pointed to Richard. "He doesn't look.. Real." He turned Richard's head and found an exposed piece of metal. "What the.." He knocked on his head and it started clinking. "A fake Robin? But why would Batman send us a fake Robin?" Bruce felt a deep anger fill his body. "Joker." He slammed his fist on the desk. "He's probably killed Dick already.." He looked to the Batwing. "I've got to try to save him anyways."
IN AN ABANDONED HOUSE…"Little birdy, little birdy, time to get hurty!" An arm raised, slamming down with force onto Richard. "This is fun, huh, kiddo?" Joker laughed, picking the boy up and throwing him into a wall. "Go.. to he- AAAGH!" Joker pulled out a tazer and pressed it against Richard. "Oh, shut up." Suddenly, a figure crashed in. "You've hurt him enough." Bruce walked up to Joker, raising his fist. "Ah, Bats. I just KNEW you'd show up and liven up the party!" Joker pulled out a gun, the look of it sending Bruce into shock. "That.. that can't be!" Joker laughed. "Look familiar?" Bruce started to tear up. "It's.. you! You…" Bruce raised his fist higher. "YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!" He punched Joker repeatedly, blood staining his gauntlets. "YOU'LL PAY!" Bruce threw him on the ground, picking up the gun and pointing it at Joker. "Bruce, wai-" The gun fired.
TO BE CONTINUED...