Chapter 1: The Bat and The Belfry
Bruce Wayne was 'celebrating' his 3rd year as the Batman after catching a mob leader and leaving him tied up for the police to arrest him. Alfred was also trying to convince him to go to a basketball game so that people would never expect that he was Batman.
"Sir it will only be 2 hours long. I'm sure that Gotham can last without for that long."
"Alfred I can't stop now Gotham's crime is now almost none existence. If I stop now it could go back up."
"Yes sir it could go up. Gotham has a police force they can deal with a lot of the crimes and besides thanks to Bat-Rader you are only a click away from the Batcave." Alfred concluded, he was willing to argue this all night and Bruce knew it. Bruce sighed and reluctantly agreed to go to the game.
GOTHAM POLICE STATION
Chief Angel was giving a speech to the detectives of Gotham about Batman's most recent arrest.
"All right, enough is enough. This 'Batman' needs to be caught and thrown in jail or Arkham Asylum with the rest of the crazies" he barked "it won't be long before the media finds out he really does exist."
"Uhh Chief" Ethan Bennett nervously spoke up as the Chief glared at him "but isn't the Batman helping us, now crime is at an all time low." The Chief continued to glare at him and after a moment of silence he spoke again.
"Now you listen to me, what do you think will happen once the public find out he is real" he's eyes looked at every detective there, "we will be a laughing stock. People will lose respect for us and then when this... freak leaves, gets killed or is arrested what do you think will happen. The crime will be too much for us to handle so everyone stop sitting on your hands and catch me that bat" he shouted and everyone quickly scrambled backed to their work.
ARKHAM ASYLUM
A guard was during his usual routine of checking to all the cells to see if everyone was fine.
"Cell 21b... check. Cell 22b...check. Cell 23b...check." He then scribbled something on the paper he was holding. He then stopped and walked back to cell 23b.
"This one's supposed to be empty" he said to himself in confusion. He looked inside a saw red eyes and a big grin and then a feminine voice said
"Well I was feeling a bit screw lose so I thought that I would let myself in." She then began to laugh madly.
GOTHAM POLICE STATION
Chief Angel was walking with Ethan towards Ethan's office after talking to him about him having nothing on the Batman.
"Because of you inability to get any evidence on the Batman I've got you a new partner"
"New partner, is that really necessary?"
"Yes." He replied bluntly and opened the door. "Meet Ellen Yin she will be helping you on all your cases from now on"
Ellen was stood right in front of him looking at him with a stern look and seemed on impressed "Great" thought Ethan "Still, I should be nice if I'm gonna be working with her from now on." He put his hand out and said with confidence "I'm Ethan nice to meet you." There was a moment of silence but then she shook his hand and replied "likewise. Now tell me everything you know about the Batman."
GOTHAM SPORTS ARENA
"And the Gotham Gators are leading by 6 points at the end of the second quarter, the away team are gonna have to really step up their game." The announcer said as the teams went back to the benches for a rest. "And as you can see local Gotham citizen and billionaire Bruce Wayne is here to support his team." Bruce could be seen in the front row with 2 supermodel-like girls on each side. Then he could be seen pulling out what seemed like a phone he then put it back and stood up and apologised to the girls and stood up and left. "W-Well I'm sure Mr. Wayne is very busy man so let's get back to the game".
GOTHAM POLICE STATION
"The Bat never leaves a trace no finger prints, no used equipment and hell even the tyres he uses aren't on any record." Ethan explained to Yin.
"So he must be extremely rich to afford all of those things."
"And contacts if he can do this for 3 years without any record of all the stuff he has bought." Just then an alert came up on the computer and Ellen went to look at it and her eyes widen.
"Someone just opened the whole left wing in Arkham," She said in a rushed tone.
"WHAT! that's crazy."
"Crazy enough to lure a bat." She replied in an excited tone as she grabbed her jacket. Ethan just groaned and fallowed.
ARKHAM ASYLUM
Batman walked down the deserted left wing silently taking in all of his surroundings and after inspecting the bottom floor moved up to the second floor and saw an unconscious security guard laying face down.
He ran towards him and turned him over, he recoiled in disgust as he looked at his face. His eyes were wide and his pupils were larger than normal; his face was paler than usual and his mouth was forced into a massive grin straining every muscle in his face and causing blood to come out of his gums making his lips seem redder than normal. He then looked down and saw a joker playing card in the man's pocket, he picked it up and turned it over and sees a picture of a grinning women with red eyes staring straight at him who had her face covered in white make-up making her look like a clown. He then heard a full belly manic laugh pierce his ears, he stands up quickly getting into a defensive stances.
He looked around quickly but couldn't see anyone and as soon as he looked up he saw the same face as on the card. She jumped down and landed a few feet in front of him, she then stood up straight smiling at Batman. He looked at every aspect of her making sure to remember it and be cautious of any chemical weapons she might have. She was almost as tall as him as she stood at about 6'1 and had a lanky kind of physique; she had shoulder length green hair that was spiky at the end; she had a moderately large chest and she wore a very long sleeved black, green and dark blue zigzagged patterned shirt with a purple waist jacket over it and baggy black trousers and wore no shoes or socks. Her make-up covered all of her face and had no spots that showed her true face.
"Looks like his ma' don't you think" she exclaimed in a slightly high pitch whimsical tone as she pointed at her face and flashing him a impossibly large smile. Batman glared at her and responded "I suppose you did this to him."
"What! don't you like the new him"
"It's disgusting. What did you do to him"
She just frowned for a nanosecond but then went back to grinning like a madman. "Just a laughing gas. Wait! Don't tell me you not an inmate." She then laughed wildly and then pointed at him (or at least her arm was it was impossible to see her fingers because of the length of her sleeve) "I mean what human gifted with sight would dress like you. Come on black. BLACK! it is sooooooooo over used to make people look scary. Speaking of which do you like my new threads."
"Who are you" seethed Batman.
She then mocked a frown and sad in an over the top sad voice "What you don't like my clothes."
"WHO. ARE. YOU!" Shouted Batman, he was losing patience with this woman.
"The Joker" Batman then grabbed her by her collar and lifted her up closer to his face.
"Whoa. Down boy you won't get the girls that way" she then giggled at her own joke.
"Not what. WHO!" Batman then tried to wipe her make-up, until she slapped his hand and revealed no of it had gone off.
"Sorry to disappoint but it's perma-clown" Batman looked at her in disbelief "What kind of psychopath is she." He then dropped her and she landed perfectly and gave him mocking thank you.
"Listen to me, you're not well. If you do as I say we can help you" Batman said trying to reason with her. But she just laughed at him for at least 30 seconds and then breathed hard and said. "And what will you do. Huh. Put me in the looney bin, I'm already here" she then jumped up at kicked him in the chest knocking him away.
OUTSIDE ARKHAM ASYLUM
Ethan and Yin had just arrived and got out of the car and walked up to the police officer in charge.
"What's the situation with the patients and the bridge" Yin barked in an authorised tone.
"We've got almost all of them but the bridge was blown up by a jack-in-the-box bomb"
"What? In fact it doesn't matter we'll just swim across" she replied quickly and then dived into the water surrounding Arkham. The officer just looked at Ethan with a bewildered look.
"New partner. Just came from Metropolis. Lots of energy." He replied as he followed her.
When they finally reach the other end at climbed out of the water Yin ordered Ethan to check the left side while she checked the right as she pulled out her gun.
INSIDE ARKHAM ASYLUM
Batman tried to ground kick the Joker but she jumped back and pulled out a gas cannon.
"Don't be scared Batsey it will only make you smile." But before she could fire Batman throw a Batarang knocking it out of her hand on to the ground floor.
"Hey! My gas do you know how long it took to make" the Joker whined but as she turned back to face him, he punched her to the floor.
"Owww! Didn't you're parents teach you not to hit a girl" Batman then attacked her with a flurry of punches and kicks but she managed to dodge or block every hit.
"I knew this place... was too good to be true... my old hideout is a mess and this one... just screamed me" the Joker panted while trying not to get knocked down. She then jumped a few feet away after Batman finally hit her in the stomach.
"Fine! have the asylum. But soon all of Gotham will be smiling just like me." And with that she jumped out of one the windows. Batman was about to chase her when he remembered the guard and quickly grabbed him and headed to the Batcave. As he left he could hear Ethan yelling at him to stop.
THE BATCAVE
Batman was working on the computer to see if the playing card had any prints on it or if the computer could see if the Joker's face matched with anyone recorded. Then Alfred came out of the elevator with a tray with a sandwich and a cup of tea.
"Sir, thought you might need a pick me up"
Bruce looked up and smiled "Thanks Alfred I feel like this is going to be a long night."
Alfred put down the tray next to him and looked up at the screen. "A clown sir?"
"She's the one who broke in to Arkham and released the patients."
"You know sir, when I said you should meet a female companion I was talking to Bruce not the Batman."
"Alfred with gone over this I can't commit that much time away from Batman."
"We all need companionship Sir"
"Alfred I'm going to need your help with something." said Bruce changing the conversation "I need you to check what's wrong with someone." as he pulled back a curtain to reveal the guard from Arkham.
"Good heavens!" exclaimed Alfred was he moved next to the guard. "Our clown friend, I assume"
"Unfortunately yes."
"I'll get right on it sir."