A/N: Ok so I'm breaking my posting schedule this one time to rearrange chapters and whatnot. I decided that each chapter would be a different persons POV.
Ridley's P.O.V.
Pacing the floor of the room I was stuck in, I contemplated attempting to break the door down. Of course it was made of steel so I'd most likely do more harm to myself than the door; it couldn't hurt to try though, right? I scowled as I approached the door. Damn Riddler and his stupid test. Two hours was not "a jiffy", and I was getting tired of being stuck in a room with nothing to do. Scanning the surface I noted that the door didn't even have a handle. What the heck was I supposed to do now? Any hope of me getting myself out of here just went out the window.
Taking about a dozen steps back, I angled my shoulder towards the door before running towards it. Bracing for impact, I was surprised when the door opens right before I hit it. Unfortunately, because it was so unexpected, I had no time to stop and crashed head long into Riddler. Whoopty do.
We both landed on the floor with a crash and surprisingly Riddler made no move to get up. Whether it be because of shock or delayed reaction, I didn't know. Hearing someone above us snicker, my head jerked up to see a man wearing beige pants, a white top and glasses smirking down at us. His medium length brown hair fell into his face slightly and I hastily got to my feet, not feeling at all sorry when I stepped on Riddler's stomach, causing him to grunt in pain.
"Looks like you owe me 50 bucks," the man said as Riddler got up with a wince.
"That hardly counts as anything Jon," Riddler retorted, dusting himself off.
Jon...? Wait. That man was Scarecrow?
"Why do you looks so surprised love?" Scarecrow drawled.
What did he just call me? Love? What a perv. I took a step back.
"I'm not a perv my dear," Scarecrow said with a smirk.
Ok. How the hell-
"You're like an open book," Scarecrow said flippantly, "do try to not look too surprised. Reading facial expressions is just something I picked up being a psychologist."
"That's enough Jon," Riddler said, "you're probably creeping her out."
"Since when have you cared about me creeping people out?" Scarecrow demanded, turning to Riddler. "She's not creeped out, more like surprised; and you owe me 50 bucks."
"No I don't," Riddler said in annoyance. "She may have stepped on me, but it wasn't intentional."
"Trying to save your ego Edward?" Scarecrow smirked again.
"I'm staying the obvious," Riddler snapped back. "I felt no malicious intent when she stepped on me."
"So you're admitting that she stepped on you!" Scarecrow cackled. "Wait till I tell the others that the great Riddler got stepped on by a girl!"
"So you're admitting that I'm great?" Riddler asked with a smug look.
"No! I'm just- argh!" Scarecrow scowled at Riddler. "You're impossible."
"I'm the impossible one?" Riddler asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes!" Scarecrow said clearly frustrated.
I frowned as the two argued, they must've forgotten that I was there; great. I studied the two of the and noted that Riddler seemed to subconsciously shy away from Scarecrow. That was understandable, considering who Scarecrow was after all.
Scarecrow reminded me of someone, though I couldn't put my finger on it. I'd heard enough stories to be familiar with his ways, in reality, I knew enough about all the Rouges to be familiar with them. Not meaning that I'd feel comfortable around then of course.
"What are you looking at child?" Scarecrow said, his voice dropping to a dangerously low level. "Do I remind you of someone?"
No.
"Pretty liar," Scarecrow purred, "who do I remind you of?"
"Cut the crap, Jon," Riddler snapped. "What did you want in the first place?" You interrupted me for a reason, right?"
Scarecrow dragged his gaze from me and settled in on Riddler. "I interrupted your game of Mario Kart because Joker and the others wanted to meet Ridley. They decided sending me would be the best case scenario."
Mario Kart. I was stuck sitting a room for two hours because of MARIO KART!? Are you kidding me??? The nerve! I preceded to punch Riddler in the arm.
"Ow!" he yelled, grabbing his arm.
"Pay up time!" Scarecrow said gleefully, "That's 50 bucks for me!"
I turned and gave him my best 'Shut up' face before kicking him in the shin.
"What was that for?" he complained, rubbing his leg.
For being a dumbass.
"Erghhh," Scarecrow muttered, "let's just go and get the introductions over with..." He limped, exaggeratedly down the hall.
I shared a look with Riddler before jerking away and reluctantly followed Scarecrow with Riddler trailing behind.
I hovered reluctant to enter the living room as Jon just simply walked in. I stiffened when I felt Riddler hover directly behind me.
"You don't have to go in if you don't want to," he said in a low voice, "I could always have you take another test."
In your dreams, I scowled stepping away from him.
"Hey," he said catching my arm turning me to face him. "I was rather impressed with your test results."
I yanked my arm out of his grip, oh really? I raised an eyebrow.
"100%," Riddler said, "you got them all correct."
Whatever, I twisted around and entered the living room. I only hoped that is make it out alive.
"--long enough Jonny," Harley was complaining as I inched in.
I managed to get a better look at the living room as I went deeper into it. The few couches that I'd glimpsed earlier where all occupied by various Rouges, and sadly, I of knew all of them. The room didn't have any windows and a few book shelves lined the walls, with a few lamps scattered throughout making the room a bit dark, but with an odd sense of comfort. It wasn't an ominous atmosphere at all. A huge flatscreen dominated the far wall framed by another set of shelves packed with DVDs.
"There's our little kitten," Catwoman said from the wall, peering at me through lidded eyes. She flicked a lazy hand towards the couches, "Sit."
I hesitantly eyed the couches and saw that each was occupied by at least one Rouge. There was no way I was sitting. Absolutely not.
"Sit by me," Scarecrow said, patting the seat next to him.
"Don't hog our guest, Jonny," Joker said, flashing me one of his infamous Joker grins. I visibly shuddered and inched away.
"You want to talk about hogging?" Scarecrow snorted. "Edward seems particularly invested in it."
"Jon..." Edward warned.
"Both of you shut up," a new voice growled. I jerked back as Two-Face emerged from one of the dark corners.
"Don't go around scarin' our guest," Harley told him, "that's Jonny's job."
Two-Face gave me a once over before letting out a grunt and turning away and walking out the door.
"Don't mind Harvey," Catwoman said, "Ivy will take care of him. Won't you Iv?"
She turned to the one Rouge that I hadn't noticed yet. Poison Ivy rolled her eyes before getting up from where she sat and followed Two-Face.
"Anyways," Joker said, "it's rude to stand when your guest offers you a seat."
"Like you've ever been polite in your life," Catwoman said sarcastically. "Besides, you're a guest to, this is Edwards and Jon's place."
Well that was just great.
Joker scowled at Scarecrow before turning his attention back to me, "Sit."
I did as he asked. Not because I was being polite, but because Joker scared me more than even Scarecrow did. I guess it was because I've heard more stories from Bruce about Joker than any other villain in Gotham.
Scarecrow smirked at me as I sat next to him. Riddler settled down next to me and I sat straight, back rigid, fully aware of the two dangerous men sitting on either side of me.
"Ah," Harley said, "Ain't this just borin'? Can we go Puddin'?" She glazed at Joker.
"Alright then," Joker agreed, "I have plans to finish my Bat Trap anyways." He cackled sending shivers down my spine. I hoped that Jokers trap, what ever it was, failed.
"Thanks for the hospitality," Joker said as he and Harley stood up to leave.
"See ya later Ridley!" Harley said brightly with a wave they both disappeared out the door.
Riddler, Scarecrow and Catwoman all visibly relaxed when the pair was gone. It wasn't until they'd relaxed did I realize how tense they were.
"I don't think introductions are necessary," Scarecrow began, "so we won't bother with them."
"Right to the point then," Riddler said with a nod. Back to business it seemed.
"I'm sure you're wondering why we brought you here," Scarecrow continued, "and the truth is... I have absolutely no idea."
What!? So they didn't kidnap me to make me tell them about Bruce? Then why...?
"It's really Edward that wanted to kidnap you," Scarecrow said, picking up on my thoughts easily. "We had to convince him to wait until your birthday. He's been wanted to bring you here for a while now, God knows why."
Right... It was my birthday. I was 18, and as a present I got kidnapped.
"You're making me sound like a pedophile," Riddler said straightening his glasses with a frown. "Can we just put that in the past? It was yesterday after all."
My birthday. Yesterday? Did I miss the whole day? I missed my whole birthday thanks to these assholes. I jerked forward, aiming to stand up, but Riddler pushed me back, only letting go when he was sure that I wouldn't try anything.
"You had us all very worried," Catwoman said leaning forward. "We weren't sure on how Jon's Fear Toxin would make you react."
"Obviously it's bring out her fears," Scarecrow said with an eye roll. "Tell me," he said with sudden interest, "what was it like? Your fear."
"She can't answer you," Riddler said in an exasperated tone, "She's mute."
"But she can write, can't she?" Scarecrow pointed out.
Of course I can. I'm not illiterate. I gave him a pointed look.
Something nagged the back of my mind. I'd never used writing as a form of communication per se. I only used it when working on school stuff or just simply writing, but never communication. It bugged my now that I couldn't figure it out. Maybe because it'd take to long to write out what I wanted to say?
"Looks like you've run into a problem," Scarecrow remarked, reading my expression.
"What about sign language then?" Riddler asked. "That'd be more efficient than writing."
I had a flashback to my 6th grade year when Bruce had suggested the same exact thing. He'd gotten me one of the best teachers to teach me and I'd gone along with the classes until high school. By then I was sick of having someone follow me around everywhere just so they could translate for me. I'd stopped using sign language then, choosing to return back to what I usually did as my form of communication; which basically meant others trying to guess what I was trying to get across.
"Can you even read sign language?" Scarecrow demanded.
"Of course," Riddler said haughtily. "I'm the smartest being on the plant."
Yeah, whatever you say, Einstein.
Scarecrow let out a snort and quickly covered it up with a cough.
"You alright Jon?" Catwoman asked.
"Fine," Scarecrow said, clearing his throat. "I'm fine."
"So can you use it?" Riddler asked me.
Sort of, I signed after a moment of thinking. The problem with sign language was that if you didn't practice it, you forgot it quickly.
"So you can use it!" Scarecrow said, "why not use it now then?"
I don't know, I signed. My hands and fingers felt clumsy and slow after not practicing for so long.
"Edward?" Scarecrow asked, looking at Riddler for a translation.
"She doesn't know," Riddler informed him.
"Well you see the problem is," Scarecrow said, "is that you're using it now."
I scowled at him and bit my thumb.
"What did she say?" Scarecrow asked Riddler.
"Nothing you couldn't translate yourself," Riddler said with a smirk. "I believe she just flipped you off."
"She would've had to raise her middle finger though," Scarecrow said with a frown. "She didn't do that."
"No, she didn't," Riddler agreed, "however, in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Capulet's servant starts a fight with Montague's servant by biting his thumb. The gesture can be interpreted as being equivalent to giving someone the finger."
I can actually flip you off the English way if you want.
Scarecrow scowled.
"Now now boys," Catwoman said, "stop the fighting."
"We're not fighting," Scarecrow growled.
"I was merely educating Jon here on something he should know." Riddler added.
"Like anyone but you would want to know such useless information," Scarecrow snapped.
"It's certainly isn't useless!" Riddler sneered. "You just don't want to admit that you think I'm smarter than you!"
"Being smart doesn't keep you from being a complete ass!" Scarecrow shot back.
"Men are so rowdy," Catwoman tsked. "Those two are always arguing like an old married couple," she told me. "I honestly wonder why they chose to live together."
"We do not!" Scarecrow said shrilly, his face flushing. Huh. I didn't think someone like Scarecrow was eve capable of making such a high pitched sound.
"And we live together to cut expenses," Riddler pointed out.
"We'll leave you to your lovers spat," Catwoman said, walking over and pulling me up from off the couch. "I want to show Ridley her new room."
New room? What?
"Come along kitten," Catwoman said, guiding me out of the room, "I feel like you'll be very comfortable. I decorated it myself."
I shot a worried glance at Riddler and Scarecrow before I realized what I was doing and faced forward again. There was something comforting about Catwoman, I didn't know what made me feel that way around her. Maybe it was because she wasn't a true Rouge? Ok, she did steal things as got put in Arkham from time to time, but she never did anything on a scale like the others did. And she used to knew Bruce, or rather Batman.
"It's ok," Catwoman said, "none of us will hurt you despite what you must be thinking." She gave me a smile, "you can refer to me as Selina if you wish to."
Selina. A first step in trust, for both of us. Well, mainly me in the sense that I trust her by calling her by her actual name.
Uh sure, I shrugged.
"Come along then," Selina said briskly walking up the stairs, "I'll get you settled. You'll just love what I did to that ratty old room Edward dumped you in when we brought you here."
I reluctantly followed her, actually interested in what the room would be like.