A/N: And I bring you all a triple pun title! Two of the reasons are actually the same, but with different characters. Can any of you catch the third one? I would love to see if you all can.
Special thanks go to Blacky391, Seven-of-storms and Jason-rulz-death for their support!
If you have any comments, questions, ideas or thoughts please let me know! I cannot improve without some constructful criticism, I love answering your questions, and I really do enjoy the support you all give me. So please, be it review or message, let your voice be known!
I hope you all enjoy! Also, major note at the end that I hope you all check out.
"You're welcome."
Jonathan looked up from his medical ward bed to see that Edward Nigma was standing next to him with a smug grin on his mouth, "What was that, Nigma?"
The Riddler laughed quietly and grabbed a stool to sit on. As his guest took a seat Jonathan could only think of how atrocious the security at Arkham was. After being seated the Riddler repeated, "You're welcome. Now there was two murders here, one due to your split personality's jealousy and one due to me covering up the fact you just made out with a doctor."
The idea that his brief moment of mental failure had been discovered and the major repercussions not only for him but for Penelope made Jonathan's eyes grow wide as they displayed the fear master's terror, his voice shaky and quavering, "We were found out?"
This only made Nigma laugh more, as his ploy had worked, "An orderly was muttering about doctors and patients kissing, and since Joker isn't here I thought that it was likely you. Thanks for proving me right and making that murder not pointless. I don't like blood on my hands that isn't necessary."
Jonathan narrowed his eyes and regained his composure when he realized that the man was here to simply annoy and bug him. As a result of this Jonathan decided to take Riddler down a peg and point out hypocrisy in his view, "Don't you kill people due to them being 'too stupid to live'?"
Nigma wagged his finger and exclaimed, "That is natural selection! I am thinning the gene pool of morons. I am not at fault for doing what Poison Ivy would call nature's will."
The one who had been previously trying to sleep shook his head lazily, "Not to get back on the subject or anything, but can we get back on the subject? What's to stop that other me from killing you to prevent you from speaking?"
Nigma leant back and rose his eyebrows in surprise, a lethal level of sarcasm dripping in his voice, "Awww, that would be excellent. Getting murdered by my supposed ally," Riddler reverted back to laughing, "Jonathan, I don't need to manipulate you and using the information has no real gain for me. We have worked together so I would like to think some professional courtesy is called for."
Jonathan's eyebrows moved in the opposite direction as the narcissist who he found himself talking to, "You're being awfully generous. Now are you going to extend that courtesy and leave?"
Nigma snickered and began to get up, a little disappointed he wasn't going to be annoying his fellow intelligent inmate, "Fine, fine, I'll leave you to your perverted thoughts about our doctor. I have security flaws to go investigate before they change the entire system."
Jonathan closed his eyes as Nigma moved towards the exit, "Goodbye to you too."
"That vile man and my sister are lovers now? Father will just love to hear this."
Ra's al Ghul sighed as his less favored daughter strode toward him with a devilish grin plastered on her face and a device in her hand, "What is it Talia? My scheme starts soon and I have to prepare for my encounter with the Detective. Which reminds me, you haven't succeeded in seducing him yet have you?"
Talia scoffed as she stopped by her father and leader's side, "Not seduction, just showing him the right way."
Ra's waved his hand, not caring for the semantics she wished to delude herself with, and bluntly said, "Call it what you will, why are you wasting my time?"
Talia lifted up the electronic device in her hand and hit a button that blurted out the conversation between Nigma and Crane concerning the only al Ghul not present at the moment. After it played Talia lowered the device, "Dear Penelope just kissed your fear toxin brewer."
Ra's blinked and his mind blanked, forgetting all about his current scheme as the concept began to formulate in his mind, "What?"
The older daughter of the demon's head believed that she had begun to shape her father's opinion, making her grin grow even larger. If Ra's was angry enough he might even allow her to execute Crane like she had meant to not long before, rectifying what may become a stain on their lineage. In Talia's opinion, that included offing her now spoiled half sister but she kept that darker notion from her father, "The bugs you had planted to monitor everywhere Penelope went and everything said concerning her just picked up a conversation between Crane and his fellow inmate Nigma, where the latter tricked your mad scientist into revealing he kissed your sweet daughter."
Instead of exploding like Talia wished at Crane for touching his daughter, the mighty Ra's al Ghul just raised his brow and responded to his daughter in an annoyed tone, "And so why did you bring this to my attention?"
Talia was a little surprised that her father did not react poorly to this news and that blood was not already being spilt. In a desperate effort she tried to defend herself, but she did not get very far, "Well-"
Ra's growled lightly, angry that his own flesh and blood was trying to criticize his other flesh and blood over their chosen partner when Talia herself had made some questionable decisions in her past regarding the Dark Knight, "Did you think I would be angry at Penelope for falling for one of my most valued associates? It will just make the revealing of our operations easier. So what if he is a psychopath? He has his moral boundaries, which hurts him as a villain but gives him points as a person."
Talia scoffed and waved the device in her hands, "But father, that madman might just be using her to get at you. Especially after what you've been having Strange do to him-"
Ra's lowered his tone to a level that made his present daughter have goosebumps rise on her skin and her spine straighten, "Crane knows better than to cross me, something you should learn from him Talia. He may question some of my actions, but he definitely does not act in a rebellious manner as you seem to think he would. What would he do, hold her hostage? He could do that without bonding with her. And breaking her heart as a tool to hurt me? I couldn't care less for her heart as long as it does not inhibit my plans. Again, something you should pick up on."
Talia now realized that she was not going to win the argument at this rate and so decided to play a different card, the concerned sister, despite how much pain it caused her, "You had Strange turn Crane into the docile professor we first began to use as well as into the monster who brought fear to this city, but not both at the same time. If sweet Jonathan is kissing Penelope, imagine what the madman wants!"
Ra's did not believe that his views of this particular daughter could be lowered, but seeing her fake attempt at being a caring sibling when he knew that Talia wished to kill Penelope. His own assassins had intercepted an attempt on his dear daughter's life very recently from what appeared to be female assassins who met the descriptions of Talia's personal guard. He was willing to let the matter drop if Talia would not bring it up or do it again, but to now act like she cared for her sister was just revolting.
Ra's held an arm up to bid silence from the elder daughter, "If he harms her I would be the first to know. It seems she only has two positive outlets, one being her prized patient she now is quite possibly in a relationship with and the other being myself. If Crane does anything he will pay, it is as simple as that. He no doubt knows this as well. And you know what Talia? This speculation all hinges on him knowing Penelope's true parentage."
Talia gasped and took a step back as her father struck her across the face, "You really wanted to paint your sister as a harlot who was engaging in a relationship with not only one of her patients but one of my most valuable assets, didn't you? And acting like you care for her when you tried killing her the other day? Pathetic. If you want to off someone for personal gain of some kind, do it right or do not do it at all. You incompetent brat."
Talia just gaped lightly at her father as she rubbed her cheek. The dull stare that Ra's was receiving just ticked him off even more as he seethed, "And you wonder why I look for an actual heir, beyond your gender of course. Now leave me, I have better things to be doing than manage your failed subterfuge," when she failed to move at his command Ra's yelled, "What are you waiting for, get out of my sight!"
Talia lowered her hand to her side quietly before turning away and muttering, "As you say, father."
Now that she was gone Ra's decided to think more on the matter. While it was interesting that his beloved daughter apparently had an interest in his minion, it was also unsettling for Ra's. Penelope had actually been influencing Jonathan and from what he had heard Ra's could almost believe that she was truly in love with this sick man. Crane was flawed like any member of Gotham, but unlike some he decided to repay the city for his own personal tragedies with more tragedy. He was helping the city burn down and Ra's admired that in him, but at the same time he was a ticking time bomb. Penelope only knew of his lighter side that had been recreated by Strange so as to separate all his restraints from the other half of his personality, and if any incident were to happen concerning the Scarecrow her faith would be shaken in her patient he hoped.
Then another idea came to mind and Ra's smiled as it replaced that last thought. He wanted Penelope to join him one day and help his operations, and this would be a perfect gateway. With her strong emotions towards Crane, Ra's could have the poor man killed after his usefulness was over. It would be in a way that did not shatter her thoughts on her beloved patient but rather supplemented them. A martyr for the bettering of the city, followed by a period of immense emotional weakness on her part. Then Henri Ducard could reveal his true self as the head of the demon to Penelope. She would not turn away her only other emotional connection after just losing the one she loved. She would then join him willingly and Crane would also have been dealt with.
Ra's pressed a button on the phone machine on the planning table before him and spoke into it, "Strange."
Out of it came the voice of the supposed doctor Absonus, "Yes master?"
Ra's knew exactly how to kill of Jonathan Crane while still painting him as a true victim rather than just make it a random tragedy and so he decided to get things started on that, "Get the formula from Crane and then kill him. And if you can't get it soon, still kill him," with a bit of emphasis Ra's added, "Understand?"
Strange chuckled at the thought of extracting the formula from his associate, "Perfectly. I believe he is close to breaking."
"Well then you will not have failed me. Make sure it happens."
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed! If anyone is curious why I have the relationship between Ra's and Talia souring, just watch their interactions in Arkham City. Ra's really doesn't care about her at that point, and Arkham City is what comes after this story!
We are actually approaching the events of the game right now, although we're not there yet. We have a ways to go chapter wise but time wise we are closer. Not saying exactly how close though, but do know that we're getting there!
Major question to you all: Sequels? Now is about the time where I need to start setting up the sequel if you all want this story to be continued after the 100th chapter, so I want to know all of your thoughts and opinions concerning that. My side story "A Cold Heart Implies One Has a Heart" is basically a glimpse at what the future of this series may be like, so thoughts concerning that too are valid. I want to know if I should end this story definitively or if I should set up for the next installment. I really hope to hear from as many of you as I can because I am literally gauging whether this will be a 1 story tells all, or if this will be a saga that I will dedicate a lot of time and effort into. I have many things coming up next year, including college applications, but I can find the time within my free time to still bring to you more stories and chapters if you all want. I want to finish this story and I hope you all want it as much as I do.
That being said, feel free to do the normal questions, ideas and comments as well. The above note was for the series at large, not specifically the chapter. See you all on Monday, AKA 3 days, for the next release!
