"How can I help you?" A clerk with a southern drawl hesitantly questioned a person standing in front of a counter.
A person flipped a thin piece of paper in between their fingers and placed it on the desk. They silently gazed at the clerk behind the shadows their hat was casting on their face. The man hesitantly took the paper and read it over. He looked at the person and walked into the back of the store before coming out with a large box.
"You're the customer that ordered this?" He questioned. "You best have the cash for it."
The person took out some wads of cash in their trench coat's pocket and handed it to the man. Without waiting for the man to count the money they picked up the rather large box and made their way outside into an alleyway.
They looked back and forth before heading into a nearby building, a fast food restaurant in fact. The person ignored the odd looks form the people before heading into a restroom. Quickly, they locked the door behind them and made sure that the bathroom was empty by glancing underneath the stalls for any feet. Seeing as it was empty, the person took off the hat, scarf, trench coat and sunglasses.
Sweat ran down their face from the rather warm outfit that they were dressed in. Sighing, they moved their hair so it wasn't tucked into the shirt that they were wearing underneath. It was a crimson hair, that's roots were beginning to show a brownish color. The girl sighed; she'd have to get more dye soon.
The girl stood on top of the tank of a toilet and moved the tiled ceiling to the side and retrieved a duffle bag that was hidden. Hopping down back to the floor, she unzipped it and pulled out a blond wig and hoodie. She put the hoodie on as well as the blond wig. The girl glanced down at her watch and cursed slightly as she crammed in her previous attire as well as the items that were in the box. Looking at the box she quickly flattened it and also forced it into her duffle bag that was already threatening to explode.
The girl quickly unlocked the door and walked out of the fast food restaurant as fast as possible, her hoodie was up so it shielded her face. She did not want to be spotted, that's for sure. Though, in a town like Gotham, people would pass it off as a person who just got in league with the wrong sort of people and weren't to be trifled with.
The girl casually walked along the busy streets of Gotham. It was during the day, so people were everywhere. If someone to spot her and think of her as being suspicious, they would quickly lose her in the hustling crowd. The only way one would be able to track her down is if they were on the rough tops with some sort of scope. That or they would have to have impeccable vision.
Her speed increased a paranoia began to set in. She walked into an apartment building and shot up the stair. No one was on her way there, which she mentally gave a sigh of relief. Once she was a few stories up, she took out some keys and unlocked a door, just before walking in.
The girl gently placed a duffle bag onto the couch and removed the hood from her head. Once she ran a finger through her fake hair to untangle it, she opened the duffle bag and looked at the items carefully.
A sort of goggles was the first to be placed into her hands. By feeling the thinness of it, she could tell there were wires underneath the black surface. Her hands held the item up into the light. The see through part was in red, just as she specified. The girl put the goggles on and felt around before pressing a button. The girl gasped as she looked around her room. Everything was perfect and she could see wonderfully. She looked outside and there were people walking around. She could see their very skeletons. A little rectangle appeared next to some of the people as it indicated a heart rate. How this technology existed she had no idea. All she knew was that it cost most of her life's savings and all of the money that Bruce insisted on giving her for helping campaign against Arkham City.
The girl looked into the duffle bag and pulled out some more equipment. Flexible fabric flowed through her grasp. She pulled at it and it went back to its original shape. The girl got up and grabbed a needle and poked through the fabric. Good, it'd be easy to manipulate if she needed to alter it. Problem is it wouldn't protect her all that well.
"That's why I have these," the girl muttered as she pulled out some leather padding. "And these took up the rest of my life savings. Now to try it all one."
The girl, who most people have probably figured out to be Shar, grabbed the armor and stretchy fabric before walking into her bathroom. She glanced around, not wanting to have another guy in the same room, before disrobing. It took a few minutes to figure out how to correctly put the protective padding on, but it fit, much to her surprise. Walking back out she took her wig off and pulled her real hair into two pigtails. Then, she placed her most amazing goggles back on.
Shar opened the window to her apartment. It was still bright out, so she couldn't leave yet. She couldn't go to the asylum either; it was her day off in about a month after it opened for business. There was still no sign of Riddler, Scarecrow, Clayface or Hush (Killer Croc was picked up only a couple of weeks ago by Robin). She supposed it was a good thing, but it had her nervous. Gotham's streets have been peaceful, aside from mobsters and sane crimes, but it was only a matter of time.
She licked her lips nervously. Her plan was to pick up one of the criminals tonight, which was why she had ordered her new equipment. She knew that finding Clayface with her new goggles would be easy. After reading over his records, he didn't have any bones, which meant that she could easily spot him should he be in disguise.
Pacing nervously she walked into her bedroom and grabbed her wooden sword before swinging it around. Shar yelped when she nearly knocked over a lamp. Though, seeing as no damage was done she continued.
A knock sounded on her door. Shar froze on the spot half, expecting Riolu to come bounding to the door, but he was at her parents while she got the asylum set up. Shar's mind raced at the thought of her dog not being there to protect her and a stranger at the door. She couldn't be seen like this! Her heart raced as she steadily walked over to the door and looked through the peep hole. It was Jean-Michael. Wait, how did he know where she lived?! Was he a stalker of some sort?
Shar held a hand over her mouth as she tried to think clearly. She didn't have to answer the door. She just may not be here right now. He didn't have to know that she was a vigilante. But if he was a stalker then wouldn't he know that she was there right now? Shar shook her head. There could have been even the slightest chance that he didn't know that she was there. Besides, she did make sure to check to make sure no one was following her. Besides the roof tops…Shar narrowed her eyes, why would a stalker go that far to be on a roof top.
The knock sounded again, but was followed by a voice this time, "Judging by the vibrations of my knock you're leaning against the door, Doctor Channing."
Shar's eyes widened, "Wh-what do you want?"
"I simply want to talk, give you a warning."
"Warning? What kind of warning?" Shar glared at whatever was in front of her. "Look, if you don't leave I'll call the cops."
"I know that you are Crimson X and I know that Bruce Wayne is Batman."
Her breath hitched in her throat. She weakly stopped leaning against the door. How on earth could he have known? It just didn't make any sense. Sure, a few people knew her after Arkham City's incidence, but she made sure that they wouldn't talk. Did Edward rat her out? Maybe, but he didn't know about Bruce.
She turned around slowly and unlocked her door before opening it, "Please…Come in."
Jean-Michael looked at her before walking into the apartment. He glanced it over and nodded in approval. He then back at the doctor before showing some interest in his otherwise emotionless face.
Shar scratched the back of her head, "I'm planning on catching Riddler, Scarecrow or Clayface tonight."
"No matter what you do you cannot stop the prophecy, Doctor."
Shar narrowed her eyes, was he another rogue that she hasn't hear of yet? "Prophecy?"
"Dark days are coming," he spoke as he carefully watched Shar's reactions. "Batman will be the one to decide its faith. You may also have the power to tilt it in whichever you favor. However, my brethren and I have come to terms that Batman is the one that the prophecy spoke of. He will be the warrior to close the gates of Hell. He will be the one to save the day. But in doing so events will occur that he cannot stop. From the ashes of Arkham the fires will rage, and Gotham will burn. And Batman will burn, too."
"Arkham is being placed back into the asylum," Shar crossed her arms as she glanced at the man in front of her. He looked at her as if it wasn't Arkham he was talking about. Her eyes widened, it was a puzzle of sorts. "Ashes…Ashes represent something that's dead. However, if it's hot enough it can start a fire, which in this case can represent life. It would have to be a rogue of some sort. The only rogue that would fit this would be Scar-."
Cold sweat began to run down her face. She glanced up at the man that gave her the prophecy. He was gone. She looked around, but there was no sign from where he left. Shar cussed out loud and closed the door. She'd have to contact Bruce and warn him that Crane was going to do something. She ran to her phone and dialed it.
"Pick up, pick up!"
"Hello?" A British voice, it was Alfred, his butler.
"Mister Alfred!" Shar nearly shouted, "Is Bruce there? I need to talk to him now. It's important."
"I'm afraid he's out right now, could I give him a message?"
"It might be too late," She started to have an anxiety attack. "But Jonathan Crane is planning on doing something, something big. I think he's planning on releasing his fear toxin into the city. A man, Jean-Michael, gave me a warning. I'm not sure if he's working with him…Surely not, do you know where he is?"
"Oh dear," Alfred sounded. "Come to Wayne Mansion, now. We'll all discuss this."
"Alright," Shar nodded, "I'll be there in a few minutes."
She hung up quickly and grabbed the keys to her car before jumping out the window and down the fire escape. She ran into the parking garage and got into her car before speeding off. She made sure to avoid any cops that may be patrolling the area as she made her way to the Palisades.
Shar threw herself out of the car and ran up the many steps that led to Bruce's mansion. She rang the doorbell impatiently. In only a few moments the door opened revealing Alfred. He ushered her inside and led her to an elevator that led down below the mansion. Shar could only assume it was going to the cave.
Her eyes landed on numerous screens. In front of them was a wheel chair. A girl with red hair was sitting in them. She turned around and gave a kinder smile towards Shar. Shar returned it and saw that Robin was standing next to her.
"You must be Shar Channing," the girl nodded. "I'm Oracle and I'm sure you've met Robin."
"Yes," Shar nodded.
"Now what do you know about Crane?" Robin questioned as he stepped forward.
"When he gave me Riddler's message he mentioned something about Gotham tearing itself apart with fear," Shar bit her lip. "Then Jean-Michael mentioned something about ashes, fire and Gotham burning. He said that Batman would burn, too."
"That's not good," Robin bluntly stated. "Oracle, think you can warn Bruce?"
"Already on it," she was typing away at a computer and spoke into a microphone, "Bruce, look out for Crane. He's planning something, something big. Michael-Jean's, or as you know Azrael, warning is talking about him. You can't let it happen."
"Don't worry, I won't," Batman replied through the speakers.
"Azrael?"
"That's the alias that Jean-Michael is using," Oracle turned around. "He works with The Order of St. Dumas. After searching for them, I still don't know that much about his league."
"Well, he's not a rogue, right?" Shar questioned as she tilted her head ever so slightly. "I mean, most rogues don't warn us about what's to come, right?"
"Nygma does," Robin narrowed his eyes.
"Edward's different," Shar rolled her eyes.
"Robin," Oracle looked at him, "Look after Bruce. I want to make sure he doesn't kill anyone. It was nice meeting you, Doctor Channing."
"Nice to meet you too, Oracle."