Batman Beyond: Alliances

Disclaimer: I don't own Batman, wish I did, but...:: sigh::.

Author's Notes: This is my first fic on Batman. I just got the movie and I just loved it! It inspired me to write a fic on it.


Chapter 1: Trouble's Prelude

A veil of deep indigo covered Gotham City as the night gained ground on the disappearing light. The city was plunged into a world of shadows. This was the only time those shunned by society emerged to cause chaos to their desires. Such a gang was the infamous Jokerz, a ragtag crew named after the famous psychopath who had recently threatened the troubled city only months ago.

"SOMEONE! HELP US PLEASE!" a blonde woman cried out hysterically as she and a little boy fled down an alley. Mad laughter echoed down the alley, blending with the whirring sound of a hover bike. Her eyes widened in terror at the sounds.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Where you goin' lady? We ain't done with you!" the lead Joker on the first hover bike taunted. His mad smile had an eerie edge to it because of the white face paint.

"Leave us alone," the woman cried. She tripped over a box and sprawled painfully to the ground.

"Mommy!" the little boy screamed.

The woman scrambled to her feet, but the Jokerz were already bearing down on her and her son. A girl dressed in a pink and green clown suit jumped down from one of the hover bikes. A pair of Jokerz dressed in tacky colors followed her. Then the leader jumped down, swinging a chain.

"Hold it, little mama. You're not going anywhere!" the lead Joker declared and then began twirling the chain threateningly.

"Give us all your credits and jewels and we might just leave half pint here in one piece!" the girl purred as she grabbed the woman's boy.

The woman threw down her purse and sobbed hysterically. "Here! Take it all! Leave us alone! Please!"

"What about it crew? Do we...leave her alone?" the lead Joker grinned maliciously. "Or shut her up for good? What do you say Jem? Deck? Wick?"

The girl chuckled. "I say we take care of her, Cork. She might be trouble. HAHAHAHA!"

Suddenly, a new voice broke in, "Is this a private party or can anyone crash?"

"What the-" Cork began but abruptly cut off when a figure dressed in black flew at him and slammed his feet into the Joker's chest.

"It's the bat! Get him!" Jem cried and pulled out a baton of some sort hidden in her knee high boots. Sparks shot out of the ends of it like wild flames. She swung wildly at the Dark Knight but missed.

Batman recoiled off of the wall and slammed into her. His fist dug into her stomach and sent her careening back into Cork and Deck, making all three of them sprawl onto the ground. Wick gave a feral cry and rushed at Batman with a metal pipe he had pulled off of the wall.

"Eat this!" He yelled as he swung it like a baseball bat.

"I'm not hungry!" Batman grunted and ducked easily. Before the Joker could recover, Batman brought his fist up in a powerful uppercut to his chin. As the startled Joker stumbled back, Batman jumped, whirled mid air and executed a spin kick into the Wick's chest. He flew back and crashed painfully into some trashcans.

Suddenly, a chain shot at him out of no where and wrapped several times around his neck. Batman clawed at it and turned slightly to find Cork pulling at it to tighten the chokehold he had on him. Jerking his head in the direction of the woman and her boy, Batman choked out, "Get...away...now!"

She didn't need another hint. Grabbing her son, the woman fled. With her out of the way, Batman had become the main attraction for the Jokerz. Grasping the chain tightly and trying desperately to breathe, Batman tugged back with all his might.

"Whoa!" Cork yelled as he was jerked towards Batman. The Dark Knight brought his knee up abruptly and smashed it into Cork's face. He fell to the ground with a thud.

Batman looked up in time just to see a boot coming straight for his face. He let out a painful oof as he slid back and crashed into a pile of boxes. Immediately, Jem and Wick tried to move in to get him. Firing up his rocket boots, Batman sailed out of the way just as the two Jokerz pounced at met the ground instead...hard.

Opening his wings, Batman hovered above the Jokerz. With a casual flick of his wrist a Batarang slid into his hand. Aiming it carefully, the Dark Knight threw it at Jem. She jumped back, but the Batarang hit the pole behind her, ricocheted to hit a wall, hit a trashcan, and then came flying back towards her hands. With a cry, Jem dropped the flaming baton as soon as the Batarang made contact.

"Why you-AHHHHH!" Jem cried as Batman jump kicked her into the wall, promptly knocking her out cold.

He narrowed his eyes when he noticed that Cork was trying to hit him from behind with the chain. Casually holding up a hand Batman smirked. "Nuh uh uh-uh!"

The Dark Knight flew up and then moved himself so that he landed right behind Cork. The Joker leader looked confused, looking back and forth for Batman. He felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning, he found a grinning figure dressed in black and a fist flying straight for his face.

Batman stood straighter and looked around, making sure they were all out. Wailing sirens suddenly could be heard. A spotlight appeared on the ground. Batman looked up and was relieved to see that the Gotham Police had finally came. He tapped on a button on his belt and called for the Bat Mobile.

"Man, what a night," Batman sighed.

"It's not over yet," the old, but still sharp voice of Bruce Wayne reminded him through the audio link.

"You're kidding," Batman groaned.

"Afraid not. There's a disturbance on 3rd Pine Avenue. South," Wayne said.

"Man! This has got to be the fifth one tonight!" Batman said and changed directions.

"Sixth, actually. What did you expect, Terry? It's a crime wave," Wayne told him in his droll monotone.

"How's Barbara handling it?" Batman asked, moving his neck around to work the cramps out of it.

"The Gotham PD has been busy day and night for the last two weeks. This is a huge crime wave and word on the street has it that a new gang might be moving into Gotham," Wayne paused. "You know what that means."

"Yeah. I guess all my homework will have to wait until next week," Batman answered. He stretched his arms and rotated his shoulders experimentally.

"What can I say. Life's tough, Kid," Wayne snorted.

Batman, despite his fatigue from fighting all night long, grinned a little. He could practically see the nearly humorless smile on Bruce Wayne's wise face. It was so rare that whenever it was seen, Batman was surprised photographers didn't jump out and snap photos for the local newspaper.

As the Bat Mobile stealthily rounded the corner of a line of buildings, Batman spied smoke rising out from one of the buildings. Alarms were going off. Men dressed in dark clothes and masks were fleeing from the broken windows in a rush.

"Here goes round six, ladies and gentlemen," Batman sighed and ejected himself from the Bat Mobile's seat. For some reason, he had a feeling that this was going to be a long night.


A/N: How did I do? I'm not used to writing Batman yet so sorry if it's out of character or something. Read and Review!