"Alright miss Duboise, here are your new pills. Now take these three times a day, and make sure if something doesn't feel right then come back and see me." Said Dr. Jessica Cornic, handing me the new Marplan anti-depressant pills that I had to take, again. I let out a weary sigh of relief and put the pills in my purse. I stood up and said, "Thank you for seeing me Dr. Cornic, I will call if something goes wrong."
With that I shoved my arms into my trench coat and wrapped my old scarf around my neck. I started to walk out but then Dr. Cornic called out to me, " Have they caught you parents killer yet?"
I felt my jaw clench in anger. Of course they hadn't! The killer was still roaming free in Arkham Asylum! Not to mention that he was one of the doctors that I promised myself I would never see. I turned back at her, in my normal facade, "No, not yet." I said flashing a modest smile at her.
"Oh, perhaps someday then." She said to me as I turned my back.
"Perhaps." I walked out of her office, my hat in hand, irritation and anxiety starting to well up in my heart. It has been seven years since they had died, I was only seventeen. Lena was still living at home, going through collage at Gotham university, she was twenty. I had just started to work at the dinner theater that I currently am working at. But no one had ever treated my sister and I as good people even though we were good people. But that was possibly our mothers fault even though before she became a Mob boss, she was a respected surgeon at Wayne memorial hospital, of course, that was a long time ago, before Martha Wayne and Thomas Wayne died. Thomas Wayne had known my mother, they were friends even though in the end my mother had betrayed him. But I suppose that is how life goes. I pushed my flashback away and focused on my way out of Arkham, even though this place was practically a maze. I started to round the corner when all of the sudden I ran into him.
"Good morning, miss Duboise. I didn't know you would be here today, you should have come to see me." He said a faint grin playing on his lips.
"You know exactly why I didn't come see you, let alone want you to know I was here, Dr. Crane." I said my voice low and cold.
"Yes, I suppose that I do, Veronica. I still wonder though."
"What could you possibly be wondering about?" I asked, being very careful with my words.
Dr. Crane sneered. His eyes were locked on my face, his gaze making me shiver with what fear I had left of him. "I was wondering what you would look like in a straight jacket, or even better yet, in a cage."
"That will never happen, Dr. Crane."
As I tried to get away from his sight, I heard him say slightly underneath his breath, but still loud enough for me to hear, "We will see about that, Veronica."
After that I tried even harder to find the exit of this place, and I did, letting myself out into the sunlight. It had felt like I had been in there for days, let alone only a few hours. I paced myself as I went to my car that I hardly ever used, most of the time I didn't need it because I walked everywhere. Though most would say, that it is stupid of me to do so, I can handle myself. I am strong, and I have a few tricks up my sleeve, even though, most people were afraid of me because of my mother. It was still better safe than sorry. I pulled out of Arkham and started my way home down the rural highway into Gotham. I suppose that one would call this a back way into the city, but where I lived, it was the closest way to get home from Arkham. I lived in an old apartment building that was built in 1921, around the great depression. But it was only a three story building, and there were no other apartments only ours. It could have been called a house, but it was made entirely of bricks, and it had enormous windows. I parked the car in the garage and took out my key from my purse opening the large red wooden door leading into the hallway. I hung my coat in the foyer, to the left of me, and put my keys on the table to the right. At the end of the hallway it turned into the kitchen and then the living room, which was all open floor plan. My room mate and best friend, Claire, was on the phone, sitting on the couch that faced the television. One of the enormous windows was to the right of her letting in a large amount of sunlight. I opened fridge and poured myself a glass of orange juice, while she hung up the phone. She jumped up with excitement, and ran over to me. "Veronica! Guess who that was?" She asked almost making me spill my orange juice.
I sighed and shook my head, "Who?"
"Desurei!" She said a grin coming on her face, "She's coming back to Gotham!"
This was surprising, the last time she was in Gotham was six years ago and she literally told us she would never come back, not even to see us.
"Why is she coming back?" I asked, still slightly caught in a stupor.
Claire shrugged, but in addition she added, "But at least we will get to see her, and she will be able to see you preform!"
"Just like high school all over again!" I said the sarcasm sticking out bluntly.
Claire glared at me, but said nothing. "Do you have to work for Mr. Wayne again tonight?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Yes'um, I reckon I do." She said, her Kentucky twang showing it's self just slightly.
"Claire, you just..."
"Yeah... I can't take it back though, now can I?"
"No, I reckon you can't." I said mockingly. She simply just smiled as she sat down on the couch and started to put on her french tip pumps.
"Do you know what you're going to do tonight?" She asked lacing up the pumps around her Cinderella feet.
"Yeah, I have to go in late tonight and clean, and I would also like to go to the library and check out some books for my project." I said fiddling with my necklace.
"What are you going to eat?" She asked.
"I'll probably go get some Ramen in china town."
She nodded. She knew I could take care of myself, but it didn't help that she was so protective of me. But even still I knew that there was no use fighting it.
"Are you sure you're going to be alright Veronica?"
I gave her an annoyed look. "Of course I will be ok! Now, don't you have a presentation today?"
"Ugh! I can't believe you remembered that! I told you about that Monday, I can't even remember where I put my keys half the time."
"Oh, by the way, they're on the coffee table."
Claire laughed, and picked them up from the coffee table, her pumps, clanking against the hardwood floors. She looked very fashionable right then, she was wearing a pin strip suit, with a pencil skirt and a white lace camisole underneath. Her long vibrant red hair, trailed down her back in long spirals. Though her glasses were on her face, you could still see her large blue eyes peeking from underneath the lens. She was the usual business women, the only difference was the fact that she was practically a genius at plane engineering and hydromechanics. In other words, everyone looked to her for help. She smiled to me and said, "What would I ever do without you?"
"You would be a lost cause." I said, sarcasm playing up the words.
She grinned and took took out her pea coat from the Foyer, which matched her suit. She had her leather messenger bag and keys in hand as she started to walk her way to the car. "Do you have your flash drive?" I asked, leaning out of the door way to look at her walking down the side walk to the car.
She looked in her bag, and nodded. She then waved good-bye and grinned as she got in the car and started to head to Wayne enterprise. I looked around before I closed the door. That was when I noticed that the sun was starting to set. My watch told me that it was only 4:15, but then again it was December already. The seasons were changing fast, making everything seem much more different. But I still couldn't help but feel a little lonely, after all, this would be the seventh Christmas without my family. I had to say, I still missed them, but there was a part of me that didn't care either, because no matter what happened I would always be alone. I couldn't expect Claire to take care of me for the rest of my life, and I knew that Lena wasn't going to come back to Gotham to see me anytime soon. She was too busy with her own children and husband. So that left me here to take care of myself. I started to walk back inside, making sure to lock the door after I had closed it. Then plopped myself down on the couch, turning on the television to see the Gotham weather channel. Cassy Bates was reporting the weather right then, showing that tonight was going to get down in the low twenties and a possible chance of snow fall. I kinda hoped that it would snow, after all, what's Christmas without snow? But then there was a part of me that didn't want to walk home in the snow. I suppose it really didn't matter either way, I just would be careful, and make sure that if something bad did happen, I was prepared for the worst. Which meant boots that were flat, gloves, a hat, and a scarf. I was going to be wrapped up like a Christmas present underneath the tree. I laughed, despite the grim mood that seemed to plague my mind. I decided that I would take a shower, hoping the hot water would ease my mind even if it was just slightly.
I went upstairs to my room and got out my terry cloth white bathrobe. Then took my time to put on some music to make me feel better about myself and the town I lived in. I found the only songs that dimmed my mood were ones that consists of heavy metal and the oh, so normal scream-o music that seemed to plague my I pod lately. And I thought that Christmas was supposed to have opposite effect? I guess not in my case. I started off my working my hair into a lather between my ginger and cherry blossom smelling shampoo. I loved this stuff though, it made my hair so shiny and tame. It was fantastic. After I shaved my legs and went through my whole process of cleanliness, I got out of the shower, towel dried my hair and threw on my bathrobe. I whipped the mirror clean from steam and stared at my reflection for a moment. The person I saw, was much different from the scared child from a few years ago. She was stoic, almost numb looking, her eye lids were heavy, behind her thick mass of lashes that extended out casting a shadow over her high cheek bones. Her icy cool blue eyes were narrowed like a cats, her long blond hair slicked back over her cranium, her lips plump, but they blended into her porcelain doll completion. In more ways than one, she had become lovely as ever, but there was a part of me that hated that face looking back at me with such mockery. She tautened me with what she called beauty and ugliness wrapped up in one body. But the sad thing was, I couldn't do anything about it. She was the reason my parents were dead and my own sister had left me for dead. She was the reason why my own sister, Lena, loathed me. I scowled at myself once more, and got out my blow dryer, trying to tame my lion's mane like hair. After it was dry, and frizzy, I might add, I added some styling wax, and put my hair into a loose braid to the left side of my head. I then styled my bangs to the left side of my forehead, and then went to my room to get dressed.
I figured it would be best to wear warm clothes, considering the weather. So I put on long wool socks underneath my thickest dark jeans. Then I put on a lace camisole, and a gray turtleneck sweater that was also warm. I decided to wear my glasses instead of my contacts and I put on my blue winter cap over my ears. I then got out my winter boots that were also flat and had traction on them. It was easy to run in these, that was one reason why I liked them, also because of the fact that they were insulated and water proof. I then got out a thick scarf from my oak dresser and wrapped it around my neck. Then I went down stairs got my purse from the foyer and then got out my other coat, which was a gray pea coat that I got on sale a few years back. It was as warm as my wool trench coat, but the difference was the fact that the pea coat was obviously shorter. My purse was a small messenger bag that was functional, but it was black so it matched with everything I wore. I threw my wallet, chap-stick, hand lotion, keys, and cell phone just in case Claire or someone else needed to speak to me. I then shut off all the lights in the house and then locked the door as I went out into the freezing streets of Gotham city.
I shoved my hands into my pockets, trying to warm them up as I started walking into china town. I had gloves on, and they were thick too, but it was much colder than I anticipated. I let out a sigh, my breath coming out as a cloud of smoke as people buzzed by me walking somewhere else. All the neon lights made a unbearable glare in my glasses. But then I spotted the Ramen shop that I always went to for a late night dinner after a show, or when I had to work late cleaning. The cook and shop owner was probably the nicest Japanese man that I had ever met, granted I have only met one man besides him and he was my teacher who taught me Japanese at Gotham University. That man was a real pain my my ass. But as I walked in his shop, I opened the screen door, and yelled aloud, "Ojama Shimasu!" Which means Please forgive me for bothering you.
Kenji yelled back at me, "Irrasshaimase, Veronica-Chan!"
I giggled despite myself, I suppose that he knew me too well. I then sat down at the bar, where he was cooking one of his other costumers Ramen. I sat down across from him and smiled. "How's your kids Kenji-kun?" I asked, taking off my hat and gloves. He gave the waitress the bowl of Ramen he was working on and looked at me.
"They're good. I haven't seen you in awhile, has work been... what's that word... booming? Is that what the American's call it?" He asked me his accent thick.
"Has work been steady?" I asked trying to figure out how to answer this.
He nodded, starting to work on my normal bowl. "Not really, work has been slow, and I'm working three different jobs, plus going to school at the University."
Kenji looked at me bluntly, than shook his head. "You need love life! Something besides work and school, too busy to be happy."
"Yes, perhaps I am too busy, but it's the only way I can pay for both rent, and collage." I said smiling slightly.
"Maybe, but don't you want to get married, have children?" He asked. I knew he was being sincere, and not trying to push me but most people were too afraid to come near me. Well, at least normal people were.
"Someday, but I don't want to raise a family in this town." I said, looking down at the lines in my hands.
He nodded. Kenji knew exactly what I meant. That was when my bowl of Ramen was done. "Do you want extra Aburaage?" He asked holding up a piece with his pair of saibashi chopsticks.
I nodded eagerly. I got out a pair of chopsticks as he sat the Ramen bowl in front of me. I sat there looking it over. There was kamaboko, narutomaki, aburaage, and so much more, but it made me happy at the fact that I could eat every last bit of it. "Itadakimasu!" I said breaking the chopsticks in half and starting to eat my Ramen.
I was so hungry that I ate the whole thing, even the broth was gone. I put the chopsticks back in the paper and smiled to myself, warm, full, and happy. "How much do I owe you, Kenji-kun?" I asked, getting out my wallet.
"Three dollar." He said smiling.
I sat the money underneath the bowl and then said, "Gochisosama."
He then smiled and bowed at me and said, "Arigatogozaimas."
"Iie, kekkou desu. Ja ne, Kenji- Kun!" Which translates to "No, thank you. Later, Kenji!"
He waved and I put back on my hat and gloves as I walked out of the restaurant and closed the sliding door, and then I was back into the cold. I shivered slightly as I started walking to my work. The dinner theater was called The Broadway project, or in other words, lovely ladies who sing, and dance and do little skits for people (usually men) who want to see what the young ladies of Gotham can do. Everyone expected me to be star of the show. The girl that brought in the money, and made men fall in love with her by just doing her jazz skit. And so, my boss gave me all the solos, and made me wear the sexiest, most showy costumes ever. Which wasn't really good for me because, my biggest costumer was Dr. Crane. It was pretty self explanatory. I walked into the theater and noticed my pal Dukey was still there. I opened the door to the kitchen and leaned into the door frame.
"Dukey? Why are you still here? It's 10:30." I said.
He turned to me smiling. "Veronica! I didn't know you were coming in tonight. I thought you had the day off!"
I started to walk toward him. "Nope, the old hag told me I had to clean up after tonight. I swear she hates me cause' I don't want to be a singer. She says I'm wasting my talent."
He laughed. "She probably does, but she is still gonna give you all the solos and the jazz numbers, One: because she knows you can do it, Two: because you have the body and the face for it, and Three: because it makes the men flock in like moths to a flame."
I sat down on the counter, where he was washing dishes. "Yeah, that's why half the girls in this joint are about to kill me in my sleep."
"Well, then I guess you better sleep with one eye open. Besides, they're just jealous because you're drop dead gorgeous and you have an amazing voice, and to top it off you're smart and so very cunning."
"If only you weren't dating one of my old friends from High school, then maybe I would date you."
We both looked at each other. But then burst out into laughter. "Ok, so maybe not! You're too much like a brother to me, but still, that was very flattering. If only I could get that from someone who isn't a total psychopath." I said my grin almost overwhelming.
"You will someday, I know you will. Watch, maybe Bruce Wayne will fall for you." He said smiling.
"Pffh!" I scoffed. "Why would he fall for someone like me? Besides, our parents were enemies, and to top it off, I'm..."
"You're what?" Dukey asked, his arms folded over his chest.
"I'm... an outsider, a outcast. What would people think of it?"
"I think that people would be overwhelmed with you beauty to even care who you are. It could be like the Cinderella, without the fairy godmother and it would be much more messed up... anyways. What I'm saying is keep an open mind, you're knight in shining armor might come save you soon."
I rose one of my eye brows. "I can save myself, Romeo." He smirked at that. "Besides, who says I'm a damsel in distress?"
Dukey shrugged and smiled. I looked around then, and noticed to my horror, that this place was practically spotless. "Did you already clean everything?" I asked.
"Yes, unfortunately. If I had known that you were coming I would have left everything for you to clean."
"Darn, and I could be home right now eating mac and cheese and watching American Psycho! I'm so bummed out!"
"I don't know why you love that movie so much even though you live in Gotham which has real Psychopaths."
"It's kinda like a spoof of it I guess, maybe that is why I like it."
He smiled and started to put on his jacket. "Maybe."
"Well then, you're going home, and I'm going to go out and get a midnight snack from the grocery store, since I have time to kill. Night Dukey!"
I walked out of the Theater and started to walk down main st. watching as people on the streets started to disperse and all together just disappear. It seemed like I was the only one out at that moment, though I suppose that was normal because most people were terrified that the Batman or the mob would come out for blood. I wasn't sure if the Batman was good or evil, but either way, I didn't really care. After all, it didn't concern me. The store, unfortunately was on one of the worst sides of town, but I had to deal with it because it was on my way home. So, I had to cross over dark ally's and deserted roads. Finding my way though the dimly lit Gotham city, I remembered that in the sleeve of my boot, there was a long sharp blade in the insulation. It gave me some hope if I was mugged and they were stronger than me, or they happened to know karate, like me. I kept walking, ignoring the butterflies in my stomach. That was when I heard it, the scream.
It sounded like a man. He was shrieking violently, almost hysterically. It came from the ally that I was walking down, that was when I saw exactly what was happening. A homeless man was sitting there amongst the trash bags, cowering in fear from a figure in front of him. As I walked closer I then noticed exactly who it was, Scarecrow. I felt a twinge of pain from remembering Dr. Crane wearing the mask as he murdered my parents right in front of me. It made me tremble with the fear of that memory. I saw his head cock toward me, as I stood there ready to run away, or fight if need be.
That was when the man who was shrieking became silent and emotionless. He just sat there, watching me, his body still in the fatal position. I was puzzled. What had Crane done to him? "What... did you do to him?" I asked my voice low.
Dr. Crane looked at me again. I heard him chuckle beneath his mask. "I'm testing a new product, though I suppose you're not very curious. You won't even come near to see if he is even dead or not."
"They do say that curiosity killed the cat." I said starting to walk backwards ever so slowly.
He chuckled again this time, but it was more menacing, more dangerous. "What? Leaving so soon, Veronica?"
I stopped dead in my tracks, and glared at him. "Yes, I have other things to attend to."
"Do you now? Hmmm... why don't you tell them that?" I turned around, ducking as I did because a man was behind me trying to knock me out. That was when I noticed who's men they were, Maroni's.
I tripped them all hitting their funny bones, hard, with the heel of my boot. But that was when Crane pulled me from behind and pushed me against the wall. One of his hands was at my throat, holding me in place as I tried to reach for my knife. But then he grabbed both my wrist with his other hand and pushed me harder against the wall of the ally. I grunted and glared at him. "There's the look." He said amusement in his words.
"What?" I said my jaw still set, but I was still puzzled.
"The look you gave me after I killed your parents. The look of a mixture of fear, loathing, and desperation." Crane started laughing. That was when I started to get angry.
I tried to get one of my hands free but he just held them tighter, then I brought up my knee and hit him in the stomach. Crane grunted and fell to the ground gasping for air, that was the signal, I started to run but then one of Maroni's men put a gun up to my head. I turned to face him, staring at him straight in the eyes. "Do it." I said, "Go ahead, do it, pull the trigger."
I heard the stillness in my voice, there was no sign of any panic it was just clam. I went on, trying to convince the man that he should kill me and that I truly didn't care. But it was almost as if I wasn't trying to convince him, but simply myself, that I did want to die. "Go head, I don't really care. I was dead the day that everything was taken from me and I was left to starve, just like the other half of Gotham city."
He stared at me for a moment, than he smiled ever so slightly. "You're brave, for a women. But sorry, the bosses orders is to not kill you, maybe knock you out, or wound you, if need be. But I can't kill you." The man said, his voice was deep and husky.
"You're one of Maroni's men, so why are you working with Crane?" I asked curious.
He was puzzled that I knew who he worked for, I could tell that just by the look on his face. But he then fixed his composure and grinned. "Crane said you was smart, he said you was a sly little vixen, he was right. You're quite the character."
I smiled and shook my head. "Perhaps, so which are you working for Crane or Maroni?"
He looked back I'm guessing at Crane, and I took advantage of it, knocked the gun out of his hands and pulled out my knife from my boot, I held it up to his throat. "Enough, I grow weary of this, so leave me be."
"You don't kill though, if you're anything like you mother, you're afraid to. There is nothing you can do because you won't use it." Maroni's goon said.
"Who say's?" I said glaring at him.
A voice came from behind me. "I do." I turned around and saw Crane. All of the sudden there was a cloud of smoke in my face and I could hardly breathe. I fell to my knees wheezing loudly, that was when my vision became blurry and my breathing became hard. I glared at him, my body and hands shaking, just to stay awake. I heard a voice, it sounded like Dr. Crane but I couldn't tell. "She's resisting the anesthetic." Said the voice.
I started to ponder that for a moment. So, it wasn't something far worse? I looked up, looking up to the top of the building to the right of me, and noticed then another figure watching from the top of the building. It jumped down and pounced on it's prey, after that I fell asleep, unaware of who my savior was.