It was a dark and stormy night, as the City of Paris lit up the night with its many buildings. Along with the lights, a police radio was heard.
"All units, proceed to city hall." The dispatcher said. "The Joker has been apprehended. Ladybug is now en route to Arkham Island."
As police cars and ambulances were driving to City Hall, a car drived in the opposite direction.
But while this looked like a car, it wasn't. It was a heavily modified red Lamborghini Aventador SV with black polka dots. The frame and windows of the car has been remade to be completely bulletproof, tires that won't pop easily, and a afterburner in the back. The car drove through the streets of Paris until it turned down a bridge.
In the car were two occupants. One was the person who defeated and arrested Joker. And the other was the Joker himself mumbling to himself.
"Stand back, fool. I've got a bomb!" Joker said, before remembering. "Oh, right."
The drive to Arkham Asylum was nearly done as the facility was in view. The front door to the prison opened up and revealed two people. Joker and Ladybug.
Ladybug, aka Marinette Dupain-Cheng, now 34 years old, has been defending Paris for 15 years. While some of her old team members were still heroes, they only aided her when she needed it. Cat Noir left the team 10 years ago and moved to another part of Europe to make a name for himself. The others were still in Paris. While they had their own jobs and lives, they still helped Ladybug from time to time. Only one of them wasn't a hero anymore. But it wasn't her choice, it was forced and taken from her. Regardless, she still aided the heroes. What most people don't know about Ladybug and her team does is that, she's married to Stinger, aka Chloé Bourgeois, both outside and inside the mask.
Along with this, her suit had gone through changes over her superhero career. While it was still red and had the polka dot pattern on it, just more smaller and spread out and looked like she still wore spandex, it's actually a material that she made herself to be bulletproof and can stop a knife. She wore black thigh high boots with heels that raise her an inch or two from her normal height which was 5'11. She wore black fingerless gloves that reached to her bicep. The fingers themselves were red with small black polka dots. She still wore her hair in pigtails, even when it got longer, reaching her middle back. The ribbons in her pigtails reached to her ankles. Her utility belt was a complete black color with a Ladybug symbol on the clip part. Her arm gauntlets have three blades on the side to block most attacks. There was a Ladybug symbol on her center of her chest that was the strongest part of her suit to protect her from anything that shoots there. And finally, while her back had nothing, there was a compartment with retractable Ladybug wings which folded in to make it look like nothing was there.
Ladybug breathed a sigh before pulling Joker up and pushing him to Quincy Sharp and a few guards.
"Hey, Sharpie." Joker said. "Love what you've done with the place."
"That's Warden Sharp to you." Quincy corrected before addressing one of his guards. "Boles."
"Yo Frank-ay." Joker said. "How's the wife and kids? Ya miss me?"
"Shut it, clown!" Boles snapped, grabbing Joker's shirt collar. "A lot of people in here really wanna talk to you."
Boles pulled Joker to a gurney where he and another guard began strapping him in it.
"Really, I don't mind walking." Joker said, as he was put on the gurney and strapped in. "Not so tight, boys. You'll crease the suit." He laughed.
"Get that filthy degenerate out of here." Sharp said.
"Warden, something's not right. I'm going with him." Ladybug said, feeling like something was off about his capture. She walked up to a officer. "Is Commissioner Raincomprix here yet?"
"Yes, ma'am." The officer named North said. "He's waiting for you down in Patient Handover. Got here just before you did."
"Sharpie loves his cameras." Joker said. "Hey Sharpie, you getting my good side? But heck, they're all good, aren't they?"
She started walking with the guards through the Intensive Treatment section. All the while, she heard Sharp talking with the guards.
"I want him securely lock away this time." Sharp ordered. "Another escape and I'll lose support for my mayoral campaign."
"Don't worry, Warden." North said. "I have every available guard stationed here today."
"I hope it's enough, Officer North. For your sake." Sharp said. "Joker is our most challenging patient. Curing him will cement my reputation. Inform Dr. Young that her patient is here." Ladybug wasn't looking at them when rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"Look at all this new security." Joker said. "How's a guy supposed to break out of here?" They walked up to a new section. "It's always nice to return to my little ha-ha-hacienda." When they reached a door, the other door closed, keeping all four people from escaping.
"Tunnels full. Start the scan." A officer named Aaron Cash said.
"Scan initializing." A guard said, as a scanner came and began scanning everyone.
"You know what?" Joker asked, sarcastically. "I prefer the old cavity search. Much more personal." Suddenly, the lights turned red, indicating something.
"Got a red light." The guard said. "Multiple prohibited items."
"I want Joker searched again." Cash said.
"Uh, it's not the patient, sir." The guard said. "It's uhh.."
"Oooh, what did you sneak in with you, Bugsy?" Joker said, teasingly. "Bug Discs, yo-yos, Bug snacks." The scanner turned off.
"Scan is green on Joker." The guard said.
"Open the gate." Cash said. "Get him out of there." The gate opened as the group proceeded. "I want weapons on him at all times. Do not let him out of your sight."
"There'll be time enough for you later, Cash." Joker said. "Speaking of which, tick, tock, tick, tock, is that a crocodile I hear?"
Ladybug glanced at Cash. She saw his left hand, well hook really. She heard that Cash had broken up a fight between Croc and another inmate. In doing so, this resulted in Croc eating his hand off.
Alert in Intensive Treatment. Category 9 patient in transit. Pacification system active. Shoot to kill permissions granted.
As they were walking, the announcement was heard as Joker decided to make fun of it.
"It's my favourite show." Joker said. "I'm Warden Idiot, You'll Never Escape'."
"Joker, Joker, Joker!" Joker's men started chanting.
"Shut up!" A guard said.
"How ya doin', boss?" One of Joker's men asked.
"I said SHUT IT!" The guard warned.
"I'm telling you, the state of the wiring in these federal facilities is shocking." Joker said. "My boys over there could have been hurt in that...unfortunate fire."
"Just gotta check your prisoner, Officer Boles." A nurse named Stephen Kellerman said.
"Whatever, just be quick!" Boles snapped.
"Only following procedure!" Kellerman said. "Patient seems to be in satisfactory condition. Looks like he suffered minor lacerations, probably in the last 2 hours. There seems to be..."
"BOO! HAHAHAHAHA!" Joker laughed. "Need to take my temperature? I'd be happy to drop my pants."
"He's all yours." Kellerman said, frustrated. "Get him out of here!"
"He's good. Get the door open." A guard said. The door opened as another announcement came up.
Alert in Intensive Treatment. Category 9 patient in transit. Pacification system active. Shoot to kill permission granted.
"You heard the lady." The guard said. "We've got another psycho on the way." The elevator started moving as the officers trained their guns at the elevator.
"Can you smell the excitement in the air?" Joker asked. "No? Must have been one of the guards, then. Croc ol' boy, is that you?" The door open and the inmate stepped out, revealing his full form.
Waylon Jones aka Killer Croc. Born with a rare medical condition that changed his appearance to that of a crocodile. Abused his whole life until he turned to a life of crime. Ladybug still remembered when she met him. He punched him to unconsciousness at Blackgate until he gave up some information.
"Get ready!"
"Keep your weapons trained on it at all times!
"He looks angry."
"That thing looks pissed!"
Croc sniffed the air, being familiar with the scent of every guard and officer in Arkham, but there was another smell. One that Croc was too familiar with. He turned and saw the woman who he first encountered at Blackgate and fought with on occasion ever since. He turned his full body as he glared at the heroine.
"What's it doing?"
"I've got your scent, Ladybug." Croc said. "I will hunt you down." Suddenly, the collar around his neck activated, shocking him enough to get him to move. "A toy collar won't stop me from killing you, Ladybug. I'll rip you apart. Eat your bones." He declared as he left.
"That reminds me. I really need to get me some new shoes." Joker said, looking at his own shoes
"OK, move up." A guard said, letting the group the elevator. "Hold tight!" The door closed as the elevator went down.
"Whee, great night for a party." Joker said.
"Not where you're going." Ladybug said, being the first words she said since walking.
"The night's still young, Bugsy." Joker said. "I still got a trick or two up my sleeve. I mean, don't you think it's a little bit funny how a fire at Blackgate caused hundreds of my crew to be moved here?"
"I thought I told you to stay quiet!" Boles yelled.
"Oh, Frankie." Joker said. "You really should learn to keep that fat mouth of yours shut. It'll get you into trouble."
"Tell me something." Ladybug said. "You've never let me catch you this easily. What are you really after?"
"Oh, nothing much". Joker said. "Hundreds dying in pain and fear. All their meaningless lives brought to a horrifying conclusion. All thanks to you and the book of matches. Was that the answer you wanted?" Then a video of Quincy Sharp appeared.
"All patients should avoid contact with prisoners from Blackgate Prison facility. Their presence in our institution is..."
Suddenly, the lights went out as Joker started laughing. Boles and the other guard were trying to see.
"What's he doing?"
"Stay where you are."
"Get a flashlight. Get a light on him!"
Joker's laugh was cut due to something choking him. The lights came on and they saw Joker, still strapped to the gurney, with Ladybug choking his neck, as if to keep him where he is.
"What?" Joker asked, through a strained voice. "Don't you trust me?" Ladybug simply shoved him back as the elevator reached the end.
"Our guest has arrived." The guard said, as the elevator door opened.
"So you're back." A guard said. "You killed three of my crew when you busted outta here."
"Only three?" Joker asked, almost disappointingly. "I'll be sure to try harder next time. What say we aim for a hundred?"
Ladybug was walking with the group until she saw Police Commissioner Roger Raincomprix, at the front desk doing some paperwork. Over the years, Ladybug has worked with Roger's police force, even going as far as allowing her and her team access to criminals records, databases, even evidence lockers. While some still didn't like the idea of heroes doing their work for them, they still worked with them if it was necessary.
"Long night, Roger?" Ladybug asked, gaining his attention. Roger came up to her and shook her hand.
"Joker invades City Hall," Roger began, "and holds the mayor hostage, leaving it to me to juggle SWAT teams, the media, and you. Yeah, it's been a helluva night,"
"Hopefully, the last one we'll ever have with him." Ladybug said.
In the security room, a woman in a clown nurse outfit heard and saw everything they were saying.
This was Harley Quinn, aka Harleen Francis Quinzel, a former psychologist that fell in love with the Joker. So much so that it became an obsession. Despite her love for Joker, there are times when he's lashed at her, making her a victim in some ways. But it doesn't let it bother her.
"Yeah, right." Harley said, propping her feet on the desk.
"Hold it there." A guard said. "Sorry, Ladybug. Arkham staff only." As he was talking, Joker was being released from the gurney and handcuffed.
"I assure you, if anyone'a qualified, it's..." Roger tried to stick up for Ladybug.
"Listen, I appreciate the assistance, but she'll unsettle the more violent inmates." The guard said, as Joker was being escorted.
"I think he's talking about you, Bugsy." Joker said. "Don't be a stranger. You're always welcome here. Gotta say it's good to be back." Ladybug still felt an uneasiness in the air.
"You okay?" Roger asked, noticing Ladybug's look.
"He surrendered almost without a fight." Ladybug said. "I don't like it."
She and Roger went to the window, still looking at Joker being escorted. Joker suddenly dropped to the ground.
"Get up." The guard said. "Now!"
But Joker smirked. He head butted the guard and wrapped his still handcuffed arms around his neck and started choking him.
"Joker's loose. Alert the warden." Ladybug ordered, as she began to punch the glass.
"Hurry, we're losing him doc!" Joker laughed, as the doctor tried to uncuff Joker. With his hands free, he kicked the doctor away before going to the dead officer. "The choke's on you." After a little dance, he looked at a surveillance camera. "Honey, I'm home."
"Come on in." Harley said, allowing Joker to enter.
At this point, Ladybug had been able to break the glass. Unfortunately, she couldn't get Joker as the ray shields came back up.
"Welcome to the madhouse, Ladybug!" Joker said. "I set a trap, and you sprang it gloriously! Now let's get this party started."
All of a sudden, Ladybug was surrounded with men. One brave enough, or stupid enough, decided to go for a right hook. Ladybug blocked this and uppercutted him so hard, he went flying. She avoided every punch that came her way until the three were defeated.
"I'm just warming you up, Bugsy." Joker said. "Fresh from Blackgate Correctional Facility, with a combined sentence of 752 years. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, it's Round 2."
More thugs entered the room and just like the last ones, they were easily defeated as well.
"The systems jammed." Roger said. "We're stuck in here. Joker's in full control of the security gates."
"I'll find a way out." Ladybug said. "Roger, try and contact the warden. Let him know what's happened. I'll be back."
"Don't makes promises you can't keep, Bugsy." Joker said, through the security camera. "I'm in control of the Asylum. You're not going anywhere I don't want you to. Understand?"
"If you think I'll let you run..." Ladybug began only to be cut off.
"Blah, blah, blah." Joker mocked. "Always with the hero speak. I'm getting bored of watching you. Why don't you just come find me?" The ray shield deactivated, allowing entrance into the deeper parts of the Asylum.
"You know it's a trap." Roger said.
"Of course it is." Ladybug said. As she walked to the gate, she knows she'll be entering the devil's home. Only one thought came to her mind.
This just went from bad to worse.
I'm back, folks. Welcome to Miraculous Arkham Asylum. I do hope everyone will enjoy this next installment in the series. Also need to cover a few things.
1. Yes, Ladybug is an adult. She's been a hero her whole life. Why, because I wanted to do this.
2. Sadly, the whole team won't be fighting alongside her. Maybe, I'll bring in a hero or two in to assist her later in the story, but not everyone.
3. Her new suit is one that's I thought of in my head while also taking inspiration from from fan art. And yes, I gave her the ability to glide. I tried to make the wings similar to Batman Beyond.
4. For those who read my previous story, Cold, Cold, Heart, Marinette and Chloé were girlfriends. Now they are wives. Why, because it's my story and I tell how I want to. The time gap between the stories means they married between there. And Stinger will be a hero I'll bring in to help Ladybug at the Asylum.
But other than that, here's the next chapter. Next time, we'll be going into the deeper parts of the Asylum and meet all too familiar faces.
Until next time, let me know your thoughts.
