Notes: This is the very first "Battle Chapter." For those of you who don't know what I mean by this, the chapter you are about to read centers primarily around a boss battle from American McGee's Alice. Allow me to repeat: I HAVE NEVER PLAYED THE GAME. However, I have seen speed-play videos and gameplay clips. This gives me, I think, at least a small amount of knowledge on how the bosses play out. Now, without further ado...

Chapter XII: Makes You Larger...

A pair of Army Ants were stationed, rifles in claws, on either side of what appeared to be the head of a nutcracker, surrounded on four sides by torches. The mouth of the wooden toy was open, and a small, termite-carved hole could be seen inside, leading down into a tunnel that led down into the ground.

This was the entrance to the Centipede's Sanctum.

Batman flicked out two bat-o-rangs and flung them at the ants...

The blades stuck through the "foreheads" of the insects, and they fell dead, whitish-green blood spilling from their injuries. Briefly haunted, Batman crept past them, just in case, and crawled into the mouth of the nutcracker...

Suddenly, as he approached the hole in the ground, he found himself tumbling down a slide-shaft, made of what felt like sandpapered bark. He fell head first into a dark, cavernous chamber, lit by a hole in the ceiling, which was lined in stalactites.

Ouch.

I knew that was too easy.

In the center of the chamber stood a broken pillar. On this pillar was a large, golden yellow mushroom striped in jade green.

The Mushroom of Life...

Centipede must be out.

As Rabbit would say, let's do this quickly...

"I've never trusted toadstools, but I suppose some must have their good points," growled the Cheshire Cat, swirling into view on the top of the pillar, underneath the giant mushroom, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"I've got to be hallucinating..."

"Most would wish they were."

Hm. Pillar's too tall to just reach up and grab...I'll have to climb it. Sides are too smooth to just grab and climb, and there's nothing to latch a grappling line onto, either...

"YOU!"

A familiar, German voice roared down the shaft.

Cheshire promptly disappeared.

Down from the passage slithered the Voracious Centipede.

"How dare you trespass here?" bellowed the Centipede, and slashed out with one claw. Batman ducked quickly, and tossed a bat-o-rang.

THAP. It bounced off.

"You fool! Your silly little toys are no vatch for vy arvor!" laughed the Centipede, his arrogant, rasping cackle echoing around the Sanctum.

Will you stop talking like a B-Movie villain and just attack?

...On second thought, keep talking...

The giant arachnid lunged, and Batman dodged, dropping a smoke pellet onto the ground. Centipede coughed and spluttered, looking around as Batman ducked behind the cloud of smoke, creeping slowly around the insect's body.

"Cowvard! Shov yourself!"

Batman flung a flash capsule directly into the face of the Centipede, who shrieked with anger, covering his eyes in pain and surprise at the blinding flash of light produced, lashing out wildly with four other limbs. As the beast reared up, a red, raw wound was visible on his belly.

A gap in the armor...a wound. Perfect.

Before Batman could act on this discovery, a claw grabbed him by the cape, followed by three more, on his arms and left leg. He was slammed against the wall, right leg bent behind him. The Voracious Centipede snarled softly, licking his mandibles with a blistered, blue, slimy tongue.

"I vill bite off your head, and take it to the Vad Hatter. After I have consuved the rest of your body, nothing shall stand in vy vay from taking over the Voods. Any last vords, dinner?"

"I really, really hate bugs."

"That'll vork," Centipede growled, chuckling in anticipation. He opened his mandibles wide, revealing a vast, gaping hole. His blistered tongue snaked around Batman's neck...

In a lightning-fast motion, Batman loosened a bat-o-rang from his belt and jabbed at the wrist of the Centipede, who, surprised, loosened his grip. Wrenching his arm free, the Dark Knight cut at the blistered tongue, which spurted pus and arachnid blood. The Centipede shrieked with pain and dropped his quarry. As the monster reared back, two claws over its maw, its injury was exposed fully, providing a perfect target.

The bat-o-rang sunk deep into the wound. The beast screamed even louder, and reached down with three claws, pulling it out, pale, greenish blood now pouring in founts. The Centipede screamed out louder still, and fled back up the tunnel, cursing in German and roaring loudly.

The noise of the Voracious Centipede's bloody retreat shook the chamber, and several stalactites crashed down. Coincidentally, three of them smashed down in an arcing pattern near the pillar, forming a set of stairs.

Well...that worked out nicely...

As Batman climbed up to the Mushroom, Cheshire reappeared, just where he had been earlier.

"Nice job. So, you actually have a brain under that ridiculous, pointy-eared cowl, I see."

"You could have helped."

"Could've, would've, should've, DIDN'T."

"What now."

"Take a bite. It's rude to eat-and-run, but sometimes it is unavoidable. Me? I'll meet you later on. There is something I have to take care of..."

And without another word, the cat vanished once more. Batman broke off a piece of the Mushroom of Life. It felt malleable and soft, almost like clay...not like a normal mushroom at all, but more like the fruit of a banana. He put it into his mouth and, without even chewing, swallowed it.

Taste's awful...

He felt a strange sensation, like all the blood was rushing to his head...

He blacked out.