Sounds Far-Fetched To Isis
In the Gotham Museum of Ancient Antiquities, an idol sat on display within a glass display case. It was a stone cat in a seated position, with calm carved facial features. What made this idol special, however, were its eyes. That is to say, there were three of them. The idol's main two eyes were small rubies, but the third eye was a very large and very rare opal, carved into the shape of a large opal big enough to fit in the palm of one's hand.
The museum was dark, as it was long past closing time. Midnight to be exact. The large room of valuable artifacts was empty and quiet. But then, a figure descended from the skylight above on a wire. It was a green eyed siamese cat, wearing a golden collar and a black harness around her which allowed her to infiltrate the museum in classic cat-burglar style. Being the beloved cat of Catwoman, Isis looked at the previous cat shaped idol, and precious gem embedded in its forehead, in complete adoration. Only a bit of glass stood between her and her prise.
Isis reached out with her right forepaw and extended a sharpened claw. She then ran her claw along the top pane of glass that served as the top of the case, cutting into the seam that connected the pane to the other four. She made sure to only cut through three sides of it, allowing her to lift it open like the lid of a box.
The harness she was wearing had several compartments on it. Isis reached into one of them and pulled out a fake copy of the opal in the idol. With her free forepaw, Isis carefully pried out the opal and stuck the adhesive-backed fake into the forehead of the idol. She tenderly patted the idol on the head and said sweetly, "There, there now. I do believe that was a fair trade. Catwoman and I will appreciate it far more than you do, anyway."
Isis stowed the opan away in a pocket, and then pulled out a tube of glue from another pocket to put the pane of glass back into place. In seconds, it looked as though nothing had ever happened. Just the way Isis wanted it.
Smiling a small smug smile, Isis hoisted herself back up through the skylight. Once on top of the museum, Isis took off across its roof and across some power lines onto the rooftops of some smaller buildings. Once she was some distance away from the museum, she stopped and took out the previous gem. She held it in her forepaws and admired how it reflected the moonlight into every color of the rainbow.
"The Cat's Inner Eye. . ." she said in admiration, ". . . .mine."
Something dark and fast shot past her, snatching the opal right out of her paws. Isis' eyes widened and she turned around fast to see Ace the Bathound standing a few feet away from her. The remote control batarang flew right back to him, and its padded claw opened up and dropped the unharmed Cat's Inner Eye into his waiting right forepaw.
"This was probably the only time you shouldn't have kept your eye on the prize," Ace quipped stoically as he stowed the gem away in his utility collar.
Isis hissed in rage and said, "No! But how? I didn't set off a single alarm! How'd you-?"
"I'm very patient, Isis," Ace said as he started walking forward, causing Isis to move backwards, "The moment the museum announced they were going to display it, I knew you'd try for it. How could you resist?"
For a moment, Isis appeared to be a scared kitten, but then with a cruel smirk she reached up and hit a button on the harness she was still wearing. This caused the black piece of gear to fly off, right towards' the Bathound's face Isis didn't bother to see the makeshift projectile connect. Rather she immediately turned and ran to the edge of the roof. She jumped off and landed on a dumpster not to far down, then jumped off of that back onto the ground and turned to run out of the alleyway.
With a loud whoosh, Bathound used his upgraded cape to glide down and land right in front of Isis, blocking her escape. The siamese cat quickly spun around on two paws and turned to run back the other way, only to see that the alleyway ended in a dead end. She was trapped.
Isis hissed in frustration and turned around to see Ace approaching her. She narrowed her eyes at hit, glaring hatefully at him. Ace stopped a few feet away from her, and merely stood looking down at her. The pair were locked in an odd staring contest for a few tense seconds. As the seconds slowly began to grow into minutes, Isis frowned impatiently and said, "Well? What are you waiting for? I don't have all night! Tie me up with one of your stupid little batarangs and get it over with."
Ace didn't more a muscle or a say a word. He simply continued to stare thoughtfully at her.
Isis clenched her teeth a bit, but then put on an uninterested look as she turned and raised her right forepaw, casually examining its claws. "Come on, I've got things to do. Don't you?"
Ace narrowed his eyes a bit, then he appeared to come to a silent decision. He nodded once, then he said, "My partner often relates his most interesting cases and encounters to me, so that I might gain more experience and insight even though I'm not present during all his missions. Not to long ago, he told me of an encounter he had with the Joker. He had just foiled another one of his schemes, as usual, and the Joker had given up. He cast his empty gun aside and invited my partner to kick the heck out of him like always."
Ace closed his eyes and shook his head, "But he didn't."
Isis raised an eyebrow and gave Ace a sideways glance, but gave the impression that she was only half listening.
Ace continued, "My partner admitted that in spite of everything, he took no joy in hurting the Joker. He'd made it his duty to protect the city and bring criminals to justice, but that didn't mean he enjoyed going through the same song and dance night after night, over and over again. And considering the kind of person the Joker is, there was a strong chance that one of them would end up dead."
Isis scoffed, but revealed no other emotional response.
"So my partner offered to rehabilitate him, because maybe, just maybe. . ." Ace paused, taking a moment to chose his words carefully, then continued, ". . .that whatever made the Joker the way he is, was similar to what made the partner take up the mantle of the Dark Knight. They could break the vicious cycle, work together, become partners. All he had to do was let my partner help him."
Isis' tail flicked back and forth, but she still didn't respond.
"But Joker couldn't accept it. He said it was just too late for that," Ace said, still in his serious, level tone, "And yet that encounter ended with the two of them laughing at one of his jokes."
This time Isis did respond, turning her head to stare at Ace with her green eyes wide. She met his gaze, then blinked her eyes, then frowned and remarked, "You think I'm a fool? Batman doesn't laugh."
"He doesn't lie," Ace growled sternly, leaving no room for argument.
Isis retracted her claws and put her paw down. "Why are you wasting my time with that pointlessly dull story?" she said impatiently
"Because," Ace said in earnest, "While the Joker might be my partners' arch-nemesis, Bud and Lou leave much to be desired. They might be clever, but they're hardly criminal masterminds. You, however, are a different story."
Isis rolled her eyes and said, "Flattery will get you nowhere, and it suits your kind very poorly."
"It's not flattery, it's a fact," Ace said, lowering his head slightly to get slightly more level with the siamese cat before him, "When it comes to intelligence, reflexes, planning, and thinking several steps ahead, you are undeniably my equal. My partner understood and acknowledge the Joker's brilliance, as I do yours. And like the Joker's, your potential is being wasted and squandered commiting crime. If Streaky and Krypto can work together, I see no reason why you and I can't do the same."
"So you expect me to just betray Catwoman because you think I should?" Isis said in a voice equal parts disgust and bemusement, "And here I thought you dogs were supposed to value loyalty."
"I didn't say that," Ace stated plainly, "It isn't as though much would really change should you stop commiting crimes. Either Krypto, Streaky, or I have been stopping you anyway. As far as Catwoman would know, it'd be business as usual."
"Hmmmm," Isis said thoughtfully, putting a forepaw to her chin, "Interesting. Okay. I'll gladly be your new best friend. NOT!" She then held out her her paw towards Ace threateningly, extended out her claws as she hissed and said, "And how dare you compare me to that crazy clown! I am not broken. I don't need you or anyone to fix me. You have nothing to offer me, and I don't need or want your help."
Ace was completely unnerved by Isis' outburst, but instead calmly said, "You're overlooking one other thing here. Something you should really be aware of."
"What?" Isis said challengingly.
"I don't want to hurt you."
"Hmmph," Isis replied.
"And I don't want to see you get hurt either. But with the way thing have been going, it seems quite. . . inevitable."
Isis suddenly found herself slightly unnerved by the ending of the sentence, but quickly composed herself and said, "Was that a threat?"
Ace slowly began to get closer to the cat as he spoke, "Think of how things have escalated, Isis. What started as simple museum heists have turned into complicated body double plots in order to steal the crown jewels. Then we moved on to the usage of mystical artifacts with extraordinary powers. But apparently not even that was enough, because know you've allied yourself with invaders from outer space. Invaders that would immediately betray you the moment it became convenient for them. I know you haven't forgotten how Snooky double-crossed you in that Orange Kryptonite affair. You even betrayed her in return. Do you really not see the increasing danger you've been putting yourself in? All it would take is a malfunctioning piece of alien weaponry, or an artifact with an unintended effect, or even a tragic accident in the tuna cannery. You've been lucky so far, but if we keep this up, your nine lives are going to run out, one way or another."
During Bathound's speech, the siamese cat found herself becoming more and more on edge, and was at an utter loss for words. Then she noticed how Ace had closed the distance between them, and nervously stepped back with her back arched and her fur standing on end. "Stay away from me!" she cried out in reflex.
Ace's frown became more sympathetic, and he said calmly, "I'm trying to help you, Isis. If my partner can reach out to his arch-nemesis, then so can I. We can work together. Don't make the same mistakes as the Joker."
"It's not the same!" Isis spat contemptuously.
"Of course not," Ace agreed, "My partner and him were equal but opposite. You and I are just opposites. I can't imagine you having had anything but a pampered life. All the same, you could be doing so much more than just playing expensive games of fetch for Catwoman."
". . .Like what?" Isis questioned, her softer tone revealing genuine curiosity.
"There are a lot of stray cats in the streets of Gotham," Ace said, "They could certainly use a symbol. A cat they could look up to. One that won't lead them down the wrong path."
Isis tossed her head back and swished her tail, and she said, "And who says that path I'm on right now is wrong?"
"Society," Ace replied swiftly.
"Of course!" Isis shouted, gesturing with her forepaw dramatically, "And I suppose you expect me to make some witty remark about how 'we live in a society' so you can point out how my position really is so similar to the Joker in the silly little story you told me."
Isis hissed and spat at Ace as her green eyes welled up with hate, "Well guess what? I'm happy the way I am. I have skills, and I have a purpose that fits those skills. Catwoman adores and appreciate me for who I am and what I do. I don't need you to be my guiding light or whatever you think you are to me. I'm not the Joker, and I'm not Streaky. I will never be a hero. I am, and I always will be. . . the bad cat."
". . . . I would've thought an excuse to chase Penguin's bad news birds would've been appealing to you," Ace remarked.
"I've got bigger fish to fry," Isis replied smoothly.
"Nine cat lives don't last as long as you might think."
"Again with the warnings, making it look like you just wanna help me. How noble of you," Isis said bitterly, "Go feed that kibble to someone who actually has a dog's intelligence."
Ace narrowed his eyes at the siamese cat, and he stared at her for a good long while. His stare was cold and hard, and yet there was something very difficult to describe hidden behind those eyes. The stare held for a bit longer, then Ace nodded slowly and said, "This isn't a one time offer, Isis. It still stands, and will stand for as long as it needs to."
Ace then turned and walked towards the exit of the alley, leaving a stunned Isis standing alone. As Ace walked away, Isis tilted her head and said, "Are you. . .letting me go?"
Ace didn't reply.
". . . but. . ." Isis said slowly, a growing sense of confusion within her. She took a few nervous steps forward, her ears hanging low as she called out, "Why? You never just leave. Either I escape or you. . ."
Ace was just about to turn the corner and disappear from sight. Something welled up inside Isis, and she yowled out, "WAIT!"
The bathound stopped in his tracks, and he turned around part way to look at the villainous cat.
"I. . ." Isis began, and she stared down at the ground as she tapped her claws on the pavement, ". . . I think. . .I need this. I need the chase. Even the potential of you showing up during a heist. . . I just need it."
Isis looked up at Ace and said, "You really want to help me? Then don't take that away from me."
Then Isis' eyes got big.
For the briefest of moments, Ace was caught off guard. While the logical part of Ace's brain knew that all cats could do this, he never really considered that Isis could or ever would pull something like this.
Ace stared back at Isis, looking very much uninterested by the display. Then, he took several steps sideways, leaving the exit to the alleyway wide open.
"You get a head start," he said.
Isis blinked, then smiled warmly before dashing off past Ace and into the night. When he was sure Isis was far enough away, and incidentally couldn't see him, Ace smiled warmly as well before taking off after her.
Author's Notes: Several things led to the creation of this little story. First was the upcoming DC League of Super-Pets film. Krypto looked so awesome in the teaser and I can't wait to see how Ace looks. Hopefully we'll also get Streaky and Jumpa too. Second was the nostalgia for the Krypto the Superdog cartoon that the movie's teaser reawakened in me. It even got me to buy the show's tie in comics. The 'Orange Kryptonite affair' Ace mentions comes from those comics. Third was that amazing Joke and Batman scene at the end of The Killing Joke, which Ace references in the story (although the events that led up to it are different and more kid-friendly seeing as this takes place in the Krypto cartoon alternate universe where Krypto and Streaky live with Kevin and Andrea instead of Superman and Supergirl). And fourth was how, due to political correctness, Catwoman's cat Isis was cancelled and replaced with some other cat named Roz or Rozz or whatever she's called. The Isis in Krypto the Superdog was the perfect villain with excellent characterization and the perfect nemesis for Bathound. A green eyed siamese cat with a golden collar is also just a gorgeous design and it stinks that Roz or Rozz is so simple and boring compared to Isis. You will be missed, Isis. It's so sad that you won't be in the new movie, but perhaps DC will have the courage to bring the real you back in the future.