Batman Beyond: Fatale Fury
CATgrl: Really? All 14 you say? Well send me proof! I'm a sceptic and sarcastic. And as a special little gift...DANA BULLYING! If you really found them all I'll put in some Dana Bashing. GOOD SWEET SELINA KYLE I HATE THAT WOMAN! Catwoman rules! I agree. So if you want humiliation for Dana Tan...show me what you found!
I'm a sceptic I said it before.
More to find! Go, search!
Chapter 2: Where's the Fire?
The blood flowed off her body, she purred under the shower as the red swirled down the plughole. She stepped out and wrapped a towel around her body her wounds were healing flawlessly as she have her hair a shake, cracking it out like a whip. 'Now, where's the cyber-skin?' she asked.
Selina sighed and passed the case over to the girl who was pulling a very short black silk robe on over her towel. 'Oh this is what I like' smirked Erika.
'What do you want to do with it?' Selina asked.
'I'm going to destroy my boss' sighed Erika. She picked up the box the armour was in. 'Just watch me do it'.
Selina watched the girl enter the spare room of the apartment and reappeared dressed entirely in black leather and vinyl. 'Well I have to run' she said. 'Watch this space!'
Selina listened to the door slam then open again and let the cat hop after her before shutting firmly. 'Please be careful dear' she sighed.
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'They rescheduled the lighting' Terry sighed. 'That means another party to take Dana too' he sighed.
'No, no party' Bruce said. 'Unless you count the one around the tree.'
'Alleluia' gasped Terry as they walked along the sky corridor. He looked at the window. 'And that must have been a big bird.'
'Actually it was those hooligans' an attractive brunette said. 'They made it their exit'.
'Ah' nodded Terry staring at her chest then her face.
'I'm Roma Milano, Ms Cartlands fashion coordinator. Her secretary took a leave of absence'
'Erika?'
'Yes' Roma said leading them through the hall. Ms Cartland joined them. 'Hello Mr Wayne I'm Delphi Cartland I'm so glad you've decided to join me for this charity benefit.'
'You probably should have talked to Paxton' Bruce said gruffly. 'He'd have had more of an interest'.
'Well the exotic animal sanctuary needs money and by raising it our companies don't take as much of a hit and people do their part, we were thinking of a bachelor auction' she paused as Bruce gave a dry laugh.
'They rarely end up happy ever after' he said. 'The women usually have personal problems, like headaches, and take rain checks on lunches'.
Delphi coughed. 'I'd offer you coffee but my secretary's away'.
'Where is Erika?' Terry asked.
'You knew her?' Delphi smiled.
'Just to say hi' Terry said. Delphi sat down. 'She's gone away' she replied.
'Sorry I'm late' Erika said shoving the doors open and brushing past a stunned Chip. 'I had a fall and blacked out, came too but minus short term memory and decided I'd better go shopping for my winter wardrobe!' She saw Terry and winked at him. 'Hi Terry where's Dana, that Doll among Doll's? I'm feeling really nostalgic...ya see I can remember Randy Zubranski (Randy by name and so forth) putting cockroaches in my thermos in 5th grade and Dana pouring paint on my head...but last night is caput'
'What happened to your hand?' Bruce asked pointing to the bandage around her arm.
'Well that window wasn't from tai-Bo practice I can tell you! I fell through a glass window hands first, ya see trying to reach for something in another window is not a clever thing to do'.
She flicked the purposely-left untied strand of black hair in behind an ear. 'So who wants coffee! ?'
'Y-yes' Roma said gathering herself. 'Please...white two sugars...'
'And what about you Mr Wayne? Or can I get you cocoa instead our cocoa is to die for I can tell you...like the designs! And so much else!'
'I'll have a cocoa then' Bruce said with his old Bat voice charging up to say it was under protest.
'Fabulous' smiled Erika. 'And you Terry? Cocoa? Coffee? Tea? I make nice Tea!'
'Uhh I'll h-have the cocoa too' Terry said as Erika circled him. She smiled. 'Nice jacket' she said and hopped to the doors. 'You know I probably won't ever remember last night but I swear I'll remember everything from now on...'
She smiled. 'Can I get you anything Ms Cartland?'
'Yes' Delphi said casually, unlike her gawking aides. 'I'll have a black coffee with a teaspoon of milk'
'Okay Ms Cartland' chirped Erika. 'I'll be back in a second'
'Odd girl' Bruce quoted. Delphi nodded. Terry stared at the door then sat down beside Bruce.
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'Oh poor Delphi. Poor Roma. Poor Chip...they can't figure out why I'm still alive! Well that's no trouble all the better for me to kill them' she purred. 'I have an urge...to- tie them up under magnifying glasses the size of Milwaukee and leave them to burn. Or Tie them up to a dress cutter and let that be all.'
She grinned and looked at the cat in her drawer it mewled. 'Yeah maybe that's too pleasant...but I still have the sewing to do'.
She paused as the pot continued to boil and tapped the files. 'Hmm the Swan Crown on display tonight at the museum' she read from the file. 'Silly Delphi she really wants to keep me out of these files?' If I had more time I'd post naked pictures of Chip here but I'll settle for letting everyone know he's addicted to Reality TV from Germany'.
She hit the enter key and made the entire temping pool burst out laughing. 'Big Brother is watching doll' she sighed as she rose slowly and checked the coffee. 'All ready' she grinned. Then the cat meowed loudly. 'You're right I almost forgot the special ingredient!'
She opened the lunchbox and tipped the contents in before checking the hot cocoa and adding a spoon of vanilla, another of nutmeg and dash of cinnamon and pepper to each. 'Now here we are' she said swinging into the office and placing the coffees on the table. 'Maybe you should use them as a toast or something' she said.
'Very well' Delphi said as they all raised the mugs. Immediately chip, Roma and Delphi spat the coffee out, small brown creatures scuttled across the table. Erika gasped.
'Those damn exterminators! I could have sworn that I told them to check the coffee machine! Honestly its so hard to find good help these days!'
She swooped away with the coffee. 'The cocoa's okay but it was the last of it. Sorry!' she shut the door and walked back over to her desk. 'Now I'll make you pay Delphi' she purred picking up the scissors and impaling the Felix clock without even turning to look at where she was throwing them. 'That's better' she sighed.
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Terry left the meeting feeling uneasy. The cocoa had been nice though. He paused as he saw Erika typing furiously at the computer on her desk. Bruce was talking to Roma and Delphi behind him. 'Hey' Terry said. 'I forgot to ask where you went to school...'
'Oh' she smiled. 'Gallant High on the lower East-side'.
'Ah' nodded Terry. 'Isn't that a dangerous place?'
'Well more or less an organized danger zone' she said. 'The criminals work under rules. We have our own laws to it.'
'Okay' Terry mumbled. He paused and looked at the impaled clock. 'What happened there?'
'That' Erika said turning to glance gleefully at the old impaled digital clock that was no longer looking around and "wagging" it's tail like a dog rather then a cat. '-Is what happens when you run with scissors. Precious office heirlooms get impaled.'
'Odd' Terry said. Then he noticed the decapitated hello kitty. 'And that?'
'That pissed me off' she replied. 'Say, you and Dana going to that little party around the tree tomorrow?'
'Not really' Terry said. 'Why?'
'Neither am I. How can you not really go to a party?'
'Breeze in and out. A guy called Nelson Nash's having a party late that night, I'm heading there...' Erika smiled as Terry spoke. 'Maybe I'll see you some time'.
'Count on it' she smiled. She returned to her typing. 'Should I set up another date for you to speak to Mr Powers?' she asked her employer.
'Yes...do that' Delphi muttered.
'Okey Dokey!' chirped Erika. She tapped a few keys. 'How does 3am Christmas Day sound?' Delphi raised an eyebrow. 'Okay not Christmas Day!' sighed Erika.
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'There's something about that girl' Bruce murmured.
'Yeah' agreed Terry. 'Something.' Bruce shook his head as they walked down the steps of the Batcave. 'Something wow...oh man I have to go Christmas shopping tomorrow!'
'Yes, don't forget that' warned Bruce. 'Dana wouldn't take it well'
'Oi' Terry groaned.
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'Follow her' instructed Delphi as Erika departed her house and hailed cab. She climbed in and it shot off. Chip nodded and walked away. 'Tell Zeiss to set out for a test run of the Orphans and new recruits'.
'Got it' Roma said with a brief salute.
'This city must learn to obey me' purred Delphi
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Chip watched Erika through the window of her apartment. He sat on the fire escape, binoculars at his eyes. Her pink apartment looked like an angry hurricane had passed through and was now slashed with dark colours, as close to black as possible, there was a dollhouse now sprayed black with pins in the Barbie who was holding a tray of cookies. She sauntered across the room in a welding mask, heavy iron gloves and holding a welding tool. Wearing only a black slip.
'That is one barmy female' Chip muttered. The lights went out in the apartment and a blue glow flared for a while before the darkness consumed all. A female shape stretched across the window and flexed with animal agility. Chip raised the listening device to his ear. 'Oh I don't know about you Ms Kitty but I feel sooooo much yummier...' the throaty purr sent excited shivers up Chips spine. He rose and pulled out his pistol. He was going in...hopefully he'd catch a glimpse of something before he shot her.
Erika's apartment building was half empty; she almost balanced it with an apartment at the very top that was the only light in that column of the grey brick structure. She lived pretty much alone on that side of the building. He slowly advanced as he saw a vinyl-covered leg disappear into the room.
'Stupid broad' he snorted. He found she'd barred the door. He kicked it as hard as he could but it stood still.
'Boys and their toys' laughed the sultry female voice behind the door. Then she began to sing. 'Two little boys had two little toys...'
'Take this you dumb, stupid, psycho' as he spoke he shouldered the door until a woman opened it. 'B- AAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHHHHH'
Chip fell all sixteen-plus-one stories through the holes made by a sledgehammer earlier. He crashed face down in the basement. He didn't move buried into the stockpiled kitty litter there. Erika hopped over the gap. 'Oh poor baby don't get up I'll send help!'
She shoved the large wheelbarrow of kitty litter after him. 'Okaysweetie?good!' she asked and answered in one breath. With a laugh she hopped over the gap in the floor and danced out into the hall. 'Gotham! Gotham! Its my kind of TOWN!' she sang like she was in a Broadway musical.
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Mr Victor Zeiss stood on the roof he glanced at Rocco and Sketch stood behind him. 'This is so cool, a descendant of THE Zeiss himself!' Rocco exclaimed. 'Here! In person! We're so goddamn lucky!'
'I don't like it' Sketch said. 'He may be a great mercenary and fighter like his father... but I'm an Agent of Anarchy anyway.'
'Get over it' sniffed Rocco. 'We're in the big time now'
'Big time can be small crime' Sketch said. He turned and walked away. 'I'll call the others.'
Mr Zeiss nodded. 'We strike in ten minutes.'
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Dana waved to Craig and blew a kiss. She thought Terry was cute but Craig gave her what she needed. She hurried down the street...the Orphans whirled around the corner and grinned at her. Dana turned and ran back towards the arcade...one of the orphans landed before her. He was dressed in spikes and black leather his face was painted blue on the left side. His comrade had red on the right side.
'Hey Clem! Lookie what I got!'
'Robins, I found her first' the other snapped. Clem grabbed at Dana's purse. She staggered back into and alley and broke into a run her shrieking panicked breaths echoing through the walls.
Clem and Robins had letters all over their outfits; they were striding towards her the letters glowing neon every now and again. 'Give us the purse and we'll have some fun' Robins grinned.
Clem grabbed her. 'How about a kiss?' They pressed her to the wall Clem's hands on her throat and shoulder. 'Just for Christmas?'
Robins grabbed her purse. 'Darling that's just not your colour' a voice called from the end of the alley. The echoes were less human then they should be. 'And I have sales to get to'.
'Batman! Help me! Batman!' Dana shrieked mistaking the shadow. The shape launched forwards as Robins raised a large pistol and fired. The cartwheels and flips were too fast for him to hit even on the approach. The claws raked down Robins face and he shrieked. Clem spun and punched the woman in the gut. 'Oh baby it's my first time' the sultry purr gasped.
A kick smashed Clems head off the wall of the alley while Robins rose again to be kicked in the throat and held to the wall, a heel sharp in his wind pipe. 'Naughty boy... I'm the huntress and you're the pray...'
She raised two fingers and smiled. 'TIC TAC TOE!' she slashed the pattern in his face with the two claws, a swipe on each word finishing with a stab. Dana gasped in surprise. 'Oh thank you!' she breathed.
The hand closed around her neck. 'Sorry toots but that was for fun, I've got shopping to do' the Catwoman snarled. 'So weak and pathetic!' she mimicked Dana's cries. 'Help me Batman! Help me! I'm so frail and contemptibly useless!' Catwoman pressed Dana into the wall with more force. 'There's a new femme in town...I am Catwoman...hear me ROAR!'
In a blitz of back flips she was gone leaving a terrified Dana in her wake.
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Terry looked around as he glided over the rooftops. 'So what am I watching for?'
'The Orphans' Bruce said. 'They've been in the papers for chaos from Keystone to Opal. They won't turn down a Silent Night'.
'Was that a pun?'
'Possibly'
Terry paused. He saw Sketch on a rooftop. The boy was playing with a remote attached to his cyber gauntlet. 'What's that?'
'I'm tracing the signals' Bruce reported. 'Something small heading for La Perfumery not far below!' Terry zoomed in on the shape moving swiftly through the snowy streets. A small racecar with a small amplifier on the back sped along into the perfume shop where Monotony was being released.
'To the new scent by Lana Lang!' the snobbish man laughed raising his glass. All raised the champagne wishing Ms Lang could have made the trip but she was busy in Paris...so the snobs had turned up without reason.
'Oh what's that' a woman sniffed as the small race car with the large back wheels shrieked around one side lifting high off the floor before slamming back down to let the car sit in place.
The amplifier went off a sonic shriek that ran through the room shattering all the glass and vials of perfume before spreading around and shattering the glass of phone boxes outside. Sketch pumped his fist in the air.
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The glittering black faded in and out of the shadow, danced on by moonbeams as the shape scampered along to the museum window. Claws dug into the glass and traced a woman's shape perfectly right down to the shape of her stance. She stepped in.
Two of the Orphan girls roller bladed down the halls cracking bubbles of their gum their pigtails flying as they breezed through ducking and hopping over laser lines their shades made visible. They skated around the case with the large diamond that was streaked with green and yellow light held inside it.
'What d'yu think Linda' the first asked her blonde pigtails bouncing.
'Um I don't know Min...it'll buy a lot for Cartland?' the black haired girl suggested.
'Really I'd place it under coffee-table-mantelpiece accessories' a voice purred. The whip caught Linda around the neck and dragged her down. 'But I'm a capricious kitten'.
The laced up six inch high heeled boot kicked up into Linda's face and flipped her 360 degrees and backwards. She landed with a crash through the table with information on it. 'That's good' the Catwoman said. 'Always look at the pamphlets!' she caught the punch from Min absent-mindedly and judo flipped her over. 'And you can just stay down' she added.
Her claws extended to their average length. 'Longer' she said. They became nine inches long. She slashed out and the glass of the case fell apart. 'And they said home-manicure courses were a waste!'
She grabbed the diamond and stuck it into her satchel before leaping to the window. 'Know this!' she said in a heroic voice. 'Whenever evil strikes, whenever society is in danger, whenever chaos threatens to break out tearing the world into tatters of darkness confused rage and destruction, whenever the end is nigh and all hell breaks loose with no one to save them, when the law fails and hate runs rampant...I'll be there with a box of popcorn and some M&M's.'
She leapt out the window and fired the cat cable from her gauntlet. She swung down and spotted a boutique reading House Of Cartland. 'Oh! Oh! Oh! The sales! I just have to get in there! Best of all I won't have to beat off a size 2 billion called Bertha who wares a Muumuu but still wants that tank top...'
She landed at the window and pressed her face and hands to the Cheshire face. 'Oh contraire mon frere' she said to the cat. 'I'm the one with the grin...Cheshire Catwoman...' She raked her nails along the glass and rushed to the double doors.
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Terry chased Sketch. Sketch was fast and very agile. He leapt onto a higher roof and darted along the concrete...Terry hit him in the back of the head with a batarang. The boy fell with a shout. 'Time's up kid' he growled. The red and navy dye in the teen's hair was hypnotically blended...his green goggles almost completely prevented the boys eyes from being seen. 'Now it's juvenile hall for you.'
'A prison? I already live in one!' snarled Sketch. He flipped to his feet and pulled two batons off his thighs. 'I live in a world of black and white! These goggles let me see but green...a single colour that I WILL NOT LOSE!' Terry stared. The baton slammed into his ribs and knocked him backwards. 'If you send me to prison I will lose these goggles! I won't let it happen! I WON'T LET IT HAPPEN!' Terry ducked the swipe and hit the boy in the ribs. A blast of pain caught him in the chest; Sketch's eyes glowed behind the goggles. 'I don't have a past and you dare threaten my future! ?'
Sketch leapt into a crescent kick. Terry caught his leg and swung him aside. 'You're seriously psycho kid'.
'Ugh! Wouldn't you be? I have to listen to every whine and whinge a person in twenty feet feels. I can't tame it but I can tame my destiny. The world will learn the anarchy I sense!'
'For a kid you use a lot of words' Terry said as he caught Sketch with a kick to the gut. Sketch staggered back.
'It's how I feel...and you? You're confused. What am I talking about? I'm not colour blind, I just can't see anything other then black and white. It's a nightmare that you escape. So...screw you!'
Sketch caught him with a baton, moving fluidly and with intense anger. Terry had no choice he unleashed a full force kick into the boy's ribs and sent him shooting backwards.
'Enough Sketch' Rocco said. He stood on the other side of the roof with a strange ball in hand. It was the size of a soccer ball and made of black and silver plates. Rocco tossed it and spun into a kick that sent it whirling into Terry's stomach. He buckled and collapsed wheezing. Rocco rushed forwards, catching the ball as it returned...
'Our boss is waiting' Rocco said. 'Here.' The ball shot forwards and crashed into Terry's chest knocking him off the roof towards the snowy streets. 'Terry!' Bruce shouted. Terry hit the thrusters and spread his wings. His descent slowed but he hit a lamppost with his stomach...not slick.
He landed at the feet of someone. The man wore steel-toed boots and black trousers leading to a blood red jacket with silver lining and rectangular strips that held it closed. In his white-gloved hands he held a black cane.
His face was painted white and he was bald under his black top hat that had a skull set on its red velvet band. His coat tails flowed as he watched the man rise with ghastly grey eyes. 'I am Victor Zeiss. You may or may not have known my Father Philo Zeiss.' The blood red lenses lowered to his eyes from his hat as frames and silver links slid into place from the other parts of his hat. 'Prepare to die.'
And then he punched the sore Terry in the throat.
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Erika hopped along the Upper floors and slapped slammed a hand through the ply board wall. She pulled an electric cable out and the power flickered to "mood lighting". 'This is fun' she smiled.
She uncurled the whip from around her waist and used it as a skipping rope as she advanced down the line of dresses. She tossed the small buttons in amongst the garments and took what looked like a clicking pen from her belt. 'Clutterbuck babe' she sighed. 'May you rest in pieces!' She hit the button and the tiny explosions went off, flames devoured the colourful clothes. 'I am such a fashion critic she sighed as she merrily skipped down the aisle to the bed linens.
'What nothing in black velvet?' Erika scoffed. She snapped her whip angrily. 'That's just no good!'
She slashed out with the whip and shattered the gut of one of the mannequins. She skipped along the row and shredded the perfect faces off two. She looked at the row all looking like Delphi Cartland. 'Naughty, Naughty Delphi. Chop suey for you-y' she smirked.
She cracked the whip and decapitated the first then removed the arms of the next before shattering the knees of another and lastly coiling her whip around the neck of the final one. 'TTFN' she snarled as the barbs curled from the whip into the neck of the mannequin who was then flung with a twist into the others knocking them all to the ground in a heap. 'Shocked?' the electric current ran up the whip and the mannequins and their clothes burst into flame. 'Now she should REALLY have considered flame retardant winter wear. She took a running jump and landed bouncing on the big pink covered bed. 'Oh these linens simply must go!' she exclaimed.
'Hey! You!'
The security officers advanced. 'Uwww' she said laughing and bouncing higher. 'Are y'all here for me?'
'What a fox' one murmured.
'Cat darling, can't you tell?' she laughed.
'I don't know if I should start shooting or fall in love?'
'Try both' Erika somersaulted over them twisting like a corkscrew. She landed and spun into a spin-kick that sent them both staggering away. 'Honestly! You rent-a-cops are so pathetic! This is my first time at this gig!'
The man landed a punch on her stomach. She gasped and buckled in surprise before giving a laugh. 'Like I said, my first time!' She cracked her whip upwards and wrenched a decorative mobile from the roof down on top of him.
The other tackled her to the ground. As she fell she planted a knee in his groin and grabbed his shirt collar, rolling backwards and flinging him over. She snapped back to her feet with a laugh. She kicked over a line of mannequins so they landed on top of him. She pulled three slender throwing knives from somewhere on her body and hurled them into a pipe on the wall. Gas hissed out.
'Wait! We're single, in our late thirties! We've never had a chance at getting married! Our take home's less then 300! You can't just kill us!'
'Yes I can, because you're employees here, sleazy, stupid, macho and OVERPAID' Erika sneered. She stabbed through the wood and wrenched an electric cable out; shredding it in two sending sparks flaring up. 'The electrics in this place stink' she added. She slashed a pipe with her shortened claws and grinned with glee as the water poured onto the cable sending sparks flying as she danced away.
'Gotta dash' she added.
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Victor spun and hacked with his cane as it crackled with red light. The hiss of the heated staff passed his ear forced Terry to throw himself aside. He swung a hand and caught the grey-eyed man in the neck.
'Philo Zeiss was an old enemy. He died long ago after someone slit his throat in a bloody battle royal' Bruce said. 'That was after he had been stabbed through the chest by Egyptian Ninjas. Victor must be his son'
'He said so' Terry grunted. He hurled a batarang but the cane easily deflected them. 'How did he get so fast?'
'I ran a scan, he's not got the enhancements of his father...but I believe those goggles in his hat are Zeiss's they let him see things in slow motion. Careful' Bruce said.
'Man Terry watch yourself' Max said, her voice ringing clear over the link. 'Sorry I was away so long I saw that kid in the green goggles and his Car trick...that's impressive design scheme. So who's this yutz?'
Zeiss kicked Terry in the face. 'Ouch' Max winced.
And suddenly the doors of a Cartland Fashions store burst open. The black shape cartwheeled forwards, incredible flip after incredible flip. She landed and looked up breathing heavily, looking very expectant. 'Meow' she announced dryly...and the shop behind her exploded into a cloud of flame.
Zeiss and Terry shielded themselves from the flame and hail of glass. They looked back to see the Catwoman leap into the air and stab her claws into the side of a building before vanishing into the shadows.
'What a woman!' gasped Terry.
He leapt into the air and shot off as Zeiss roared insults at him. He may have been leading the orphans now but Catwoman intrigued Terry more.
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A/N: Okay there are (19) little things in this chapter and I cheated by adding the name of someone on the credits of the new Catwoman in (try looking Iced by Zeiss (or the others of that arch) if you have it...I'm helping here). The first is the fact to really star you on is that Selina first met Bruce at a Bachelor auction for the wild preserve. Now search if you dare! Review me please!
CATgrl: Really? All 14 you say? Well send me proof! I'm a sceptic and sarcastic. And as a special little gift...DANA BULLYING! If you really found them all I'll put in some Dana Bashing. GOOD SWEET SELINA KYLE I HATE THAT WOMAN! Catwoman rules! I agree. So if you want humiliation for Dana Tan...show me what you found!
I'm a sceptic I said it before.
More to find! Go, search!
Chapter 2: Where's the Fire?
The blood flowed off her body, she purred under the shower as the red swirled down the plughole. She stepped out and wrapped a towel around her body her wounds were healing flawlessly as she have her hair a shake, cracking it out like a whip. 'Now, where's the cyber-skin?' she asked.
Selina sighed and passed the case over to the girl who was pulling a very short black silk robe on over her towel. 'Oh this is what I like' smirked Erika.
'What do you want to do with it?' Selina asked.
'I'm going to destroy my boss' sighed Erika. She picked up the box the armour was in. 'Just watch me do it'.
Selina watched the girl enter the spare room of the apartment and reappeared dressed entirely in black leather and vinyl. 'Well I have to run' she said. 'Watch this space!'
Selina listened to the door slam then open again and let the cat hop after her before shutting firmly. 'Please be careful dear' she sighed.
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'They rescheduled the lighting' Terry sighed. 'That means another party to take Dana too' he sighed.
'No, no party' Bruce said. 'Unless you count the one around the tree.'
'Alleluia' gasped Terry as they walked along the sky corridor. He looked at the window. 'And that must have been a big bird.'
'Actually it was those hooligans' an attractive brunette said. 'They made it their exit'.
'Ah' nodded Terry staring at her chest then her face.
'I'm Roma Milano, Ms Cartlands fashion coordinator. Her secretary took a leave of absence'
'Erika?'
'Yes' Roma said leading them through the hall. Ms Cartland joined them. 'Hello Mr Wayne I'm Delphi Cartland I'm so glad you've decided to join me for this charity benefit.'
'You probably should have talked to Paxton' Bruce said gruffly. 'He'd have had more of an interest'.
'Well the exotic animal sanctuary needs money and by raising it our companies don't take as much of a hit and people do their part, we were thinking of a bachelor auction' she paused as Bruce gave a dry laugh.
'They rarely end up happy ever after' he said. 'The women usually have personal problems, like headaches, and take rain checks on lunches'.
Delphi coughed. 'I'd offer you coffee but my secretary's away'.
'Where is Erika?' Terry asked.
'You knew her?' Delphi smiled.
'Just to say hi' Terry said. Delphi sat down. 'She's gone away' she replied.
'Sorry I'm late' Erika said shoving the doors open and brushing past a stunned Chip. 'I had a fall and blacked out, came too but minus short term memory and decided I'd better go shopping for my winter wardrobe!' She saw Terry and winked at him. 'Hi Terry where's Dana, that Doll among Doll's? I'm feeling really nostalgic...ya see I can remember Randy Zubranski (Randy by name and so forth) putting cockroaches in my thermos in 5th grade and Dana pouring paint on my head...but last night is caput'
'What happened to your hand?' Bruce asked pointing to the bandage around her arm.
'Well that window wasn't from tai-Bo practice I can tell you! I fell through a glass window hands first, ya see trying to reach for something in another window is not a clever thing to do'.
She flicked the purposely-left untied strand of black hair in behind an ear. 'So who wants coffee! ?'
'Y-yes' Roma said gathering herself. 'Please...white two sugars...'
'And what about you Mr Wayne? Or can I get you cocoa instead our cocoa is to die for I can tell you...like the designs! And so much else!'
'I'll have a cocoa then' Bruce said with his old Bat voice charging up to say it was under protest.
'Fabulous' smiled Erika. 'And you Terry? Cocoa? Coffee? Tea? I make nice Tea!'
'Uhh I'll h-have the cocoa too' Terry said as Erika circled him. She smiled. 'Nice jacket' she said and hopped to the doors. 'You know I probably won't ever remember last night but I swear I'll remember everything from now on...'
She smiled. 'Can I get you anything Ms Cartland?'
'Yes' Delphi said casually, unlike her gawking aides. 'I'll have a black coffee with a teaspoon of milk'
'Okay Ms Cartland' chirped Erika. 'I'll be back in a second'
'Odd girl' Bruce quoted. Delphi nodded. Terry stared at the door then sat down beside Bruce.
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'Oh poor Delphi. Poor Roma. Poor Chip...they can't figure out why I'm still alive! Well that's no trouble all the better for me to kill them' she purred. 'I have an urge...to- tie them up under magnifying glasses the size of Milwaukee and leave them to burn. Or Tie them up to a dress cutter and let that be all.'
She grinned and looked at the cat in her drawer it mewled. 'Yeah maybe that's too pleasant...but I still have the sewing to do'.
She paused as the pot continued to boil and tapped the files. 'Hmm the Swan Crown on display tonight at the museum' she read from the file. 'Silly Delphi she really wants to keep me out of these files?' If I had more time I'd post naked pictures of Chip here but I'll settle for letting everyone know he's addicted to Reality TV from Germany'.
She hit the enter key and made the entire temping pool burst out laughing. 'Big Brother is watching doll' she sighed as she rose slowly and checked the coffee. 'All ready' she grinned. Then the cat meowed loudly. 'You're right I almost forgot the special ingredient!'
She opened the lunchbox and tipped the contents in before checking the hot cocoa and adding a spoon of vanilla, another of nutmeg and dash of cinnamon and pepper to each. 'Now here we are' she said swinging into the office and placing the coffees on the table. 'Maybe you should use them as a toast or something' she said.
'Very well' Delphi said as they all raised the mugs. Immediately chip, Roma and Delphi spat the coffee out, small brown creatures scuttled across the table. Erika gasped.
'Those damn exterminators! I could have sworn that I told them to check the coffee machine! Honestly its so hard to find good help these days!'
She swooped away with the coffee. 'The cocoa's okay but it was the last of it. Sorry!' she shut the door and walked back over to her desk. 'Now I'll make you pay Delphi' she purred picking up the scissors and impaling the Felix clock without even turning to look at where she was throwing them. 'That's better' she sighed.
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Terry left the meeting feeling uneasy. The cocoa had been nice though. He paused as he saw Erika typing furiously at the computer on her desk. Bruce was talking to Roma and Delphi behind him. 'Hey' Terry said. 'I forgot to ask where you went to school...'
'Oh' she smiled. 'Gallant High on the lower East-side'.
'Ah' nodded Terry. 'Isn't that a dangerous place?'
'Well more or less an organized danger zone' she said. 'The criminals work under rules. We have our own laws to it.'
'Okay' Terry mumbled. He paused and looked at the impaled clock. 'What happened there?'
'That' Erika said turning to glance gleefully at the old impaled digital clock that was no longer looking around and "wagging" it's tail like a dog rather then a cat. '-Is what happens when you run with scissors. Precious office heirlooms get impaled.'
'Odd' Terry said. Then he noticed the decapitated hello kitty. 'And that?'
'That pissed me off' she replied. 'Say, you and Dana going to that little party around the tree tomorrow?'
'Not really' Terry said. 'Why?'
'Neither am I. How can you not really go to a party?'
'Breeze in and out. A guy called Nelson Nash's having a party late that night, I'm heading there...' Erika smiled as Terry spoke. 'Maybe I'll see you some time'.
'Count on it' she smiled. She returned to her typing. 'Should I set up another date for you to speak to Mr Powers?' she asked her employer.
'Yes...do that' Delphi muttered.
'Okey Dokey!' chirped Erika. She tapped a few keys. 'How does 3am Christmas Day sound?' Delphi raised an eyebrow. 'Okay not Christmas Day!' sighed Erika.
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'There's something about that girl' Bruce murmured.
'Yeah' agreed Terry. 'Something.' Bruce shook his head as they walked down the steps of the Batcave. 'Something wow...oh man I have to go Christmas shopping tomorrow!'
'Yes, don't forget that' warned Bruce. 'Dana wouldn't take it well'
'Oi' Terry groaned.
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'Follow her' instructed Delphi as Erika departed her house and hailed cab. She climbed in and it shot off. Chip nodded and walked away. 'Tell Zeiss to set out for a test run of the Orphans and new recruits'.
'Got it' Roma said with a brief salute.
'This city must learn to obey me' purred Delphi
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Chip watched Erika through the window of her apartment. He sat on the fire escape, binoculars at his eyes. Her pink apartment looked like an angry hurricane had passed through and was now slashed with dark colours, as close to black as possible, there was a dollhouse now sprayed black with pins in the Barbie who was holding a tray of cookies. She sauntered across the room in a welding mask, heavy iron gloves and holding a welding tool. Wearing only a black slip.
'That is one barmy female' Chip muttered. The lights went out in the apartment and a blue glow flared for a while before the darkness consumed all. A female shape stretched across the window and flexed with animal agility. Chip raised the listening device to his ear. 'Oh I don't know about you Ms Kitty but I feel sooooo much yummier...' the throaty purr sent excited shivers up Chips spine. He rose and pulled out his pistol. He was going in...hopefully he'd catch a glimpse of something before he shot her.
Erika's apartment building was half empty; she almost balanced it with an apartment at the very top that was the only light in that column of the grey brick structure. She lived pretty much alone on that side of the building. He slowly advanced as he saw a vinyl-covered leg disappear into the room.
'Stupid broad' he snorted. He found she'd barred the door. He kicked it as hard as he could but it stood still.
'Boys and their toys' laughed the sultry female voice behind the door. Then she began to sing. 'Two little boys had two little toys...'
'Take this you dumb, stupid, psycho' as he spoke he shouldered the door until a woman opened it. 'B- AAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHHHHH'
Chip fell all sixteen-plus-one stories through the holes made by a sledgehammer earlier. He crashed face down in the basement. He didn't move buried into the stockpiled kitty litter there. Erika hopped over the gap. 'Oh poor baby don't get up I'll send help!'
She shoved the large wheelbarrow of kitty litter after him. 'Okaysweetie?good!' she asked and answered in one breath. With a laugh she hopped over the gap in the floor and danced out into the hall. 'Gotham! Gotham! Its my kind of TOWN!' she sang like she was in a Broadway musical.
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Mr Victor Zeiss stood on the roof he glanced at Rocco and Sketch stood behind him. 'This is so cool, a descendant of THE Zeiss himself!' Rocco exclaimed. 'Here! In person! We're so goddamn lucky!'
'I don't like it' Sketch said. 'He may be a great mercenary and fighter like his father... but I'm an Agent of Anarchy anyway.'
'Get over it' sniffed Rocco. 'We're in the big time now'
'Big time can be small crime' Sketch said. He turned and walked away. 'I'll call the others.'
Mr Zeiss nodded. 'We strike in ten minutes.'
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Dana waved to Craig and blew a kiss. She thought Terry was cute but Craig gave her what she needed. She hurried down the street...the Orphans whirled around the corner and grinned at her. Dana turned and ran back towards the arcade...one of the orphans landed before her. He was dressed in spikes and black leather his face was painted blue on the left side. His comrade had red on the right side.
'Hey Clem! Lookie what I got!'
'Robins, I found her first' the other snapped. Clem grabbed at Dana's purse. She staggered back into and alley and broke into a run her shrieking panicked breaths echoing through the walls.
Clem and Robins had letters all over their outfits; they were striding towards her the letters glowing neon every now and again. 'Give us the purse and we'll have some fun' Robins grinned.
Clem grabbed her. 'How about a kiss?' They pressed her to the wall Clem's hands on her throat and shoulder. 'Just for Christmas?'
Robins grabbed her purse. 'Darling that's just not your colour' a voice called from the end of the alley. The echoes were less human then they should be. 'And I have sales to get to'.
'Batman! Help me! Batman!' Dana shrieked mistaking the shadow. The shape launched forwards as Robins raised a large pistol and fired. The cartwheels and flips were too fast for him to hit even on the approach. The claws raked down Robins face and he shrieked. Clem spun and punched the woman in the gut. 'Oh baby it's my first time' the sultry purr gasped.
A kick smashed Clems head off the wall of the alley while Robins rose again to be kicked in the throat and held to the wall, a heel sharp in his wind pipe. 'Naughty boy... I'm the huntress and you're the pray...'
She raised two fingers and smiled. 'TIC TAC TOE!' she slashed the pattern in his face with the two claws, a swipe on each word finishing with a stab. Dana gasped in surprise. 'Oh thank you!' she breathed.
The hand closed around her neck. 'Sorry toots but that was for fun, I've got shopping to do' the Catwoman snarled. 'So weak and pathetic!' she mimicked Dana's cries. 'Help me Batman! Help me! I'm so frail and contemptibly useless!' Catwoman pressed Dana into the wall with more force. 'There's a new femme in town...I am Catwoman...hear me ROAR!'
In a blitz of back flips she was gone leaving a terrified Dana in her wake.
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Terry looked around as he glided over the rooftops. 'So what am I watching for?'
'The Orphans' Bruce said. 'They've been in the papers for chaos from Keystone to Opal. They won't turn down a Silent Night'.
'Was that a pun?'
'Possibly'
Terry paused. He saw Sketch on a rooftop. The boy was playing with a remote attached to his cyber gauntlet. 'What's that?'
'I'm tracing the signals' Bruce reported. 'Something small heading for La Perfumery not far below!' Terry zoomed in on the shape moving swiftly through the snowy streets. A small racecar with a small amplifier on the back sped along into the perfume shop where Monotony was being released.
'To the new scent by Lana Lang!' the snobbish man laughed raising his glass. All raised the champagne wishing Ms Lang could have made the trip but she was busy in Paris...so the snobs had turned up without reason.
'Oh what's that' a woman sniffed as the small race car with the large back wheels shrieked around one side lifting high off the floor before slamming back down to let the car sit in place.
The amplifier went off a sonic shriek that ran through the room shattering all the glass and vials of perfume before spreading around and shattering the glass of phone boxes outside. Sketch pumped his fist in the air.
================================
The glittering black faded in and out of the shadow, danced on by moonbeams as the shape scampered along to the museum window. Claws dug into the glass and traced a woman's shape perfectly right down to the shape of her stance. She stepped in.
Two of the Orphan girls roller bladed down the halls cracking bubbles of their gum their pigtails flying as they breezed through ducking and hopping over laser lines their shades made visible. They skated around the case with the large diamond that was streaked with green and yellow light held inside it.
'What d'yu think Linda' the first asked her blonde pigtails bouncing.
'Um I don't know Min...it'll buy a lot for Cartland?' the black haired girl suggested.
'Really I'd place it under coffee-table-mantelpiece accessories' a voice purred. The whip caught Linda around the neck and dragged her down. 'But I'm a capricious kitten'.
The laced up six inch high heeled boot kicked up into Linda's face and flipped her 360 degrees and backwards. She landed with a crash through the table with information on it. 'That's good' the Catwoman said. 'Always look at the pamphlets!' she caught the punch from Min absent-mindedly and judo flipped her over. 'And you can just stay down' she added.
Her claws extended to their average length. 'Longer' she said. They became nine inches long. She slashed out and the glass of the case fell apart. 'And they said home-manicure courses were a waste!'
She grabbed the diamond and stuck it into her satchel before leaping to the window. 'Know this!' she said in a heroic voice. 'Whenever evil strikes, whenever society is in danger, whenever chaos threatens to break out tearing the world into tatters of darkness confused rage and destruction, whenever the end is nigh and all hell breaks loose with no one to save them, when the law fails and hate runs rampant...I'll be there with a box of popcorn and some M&M's.'
She leapt out the window and fired the cat cable from her gauntlet. She swung down and spotted a boutique reading House Of Cartland. 'Oh! Oh! Oh! The sales! I just have to get in there! Best of all I won't have to beat off a size 2 billion called Bertha who wares a Muumuu but still wants that tank top...'
She landed at the window and pressed her face and hands to the Cheshire face. 'Oh contraire mon frere' she said to the cat. 'I'm the one with the grin...Cheshire Catwoman...' She raked her nails along the glass and rushed to the double doors.
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Terry chased Sketch. Sketch was fast and very agile. He leapt onto a higher roof and darted along the concrete...Terry hit him in the back of the head with a batarang. The boy fell with a shout. 'Time's up kid' he growled. The red and navy dye in the teen's hair was hypnotically blended...his green goggles almost completely prevented the boys eyes from being seen. 'Now it's juvenile hall for you.'
'A prison? I already live in one!' snarled Sketch. He flipped to his feet and pulled two batons off his thighs. 'I live in a world of black and white! These goggles let me see but green...a single colour that I WILL NOT LOSE!' Terry stared. The baton slammed into his ribs and knocked him backwards. 'If you send me to prison I will lose these goggles! I won't let it happen! I WON'T LET IT HAPPEN!' Terry ducked the swipe and hit the boy in the ribs. A blast of pain caught him in the chest; Sketch's eyes glowed behind the goggles. 'I don't have a past and you dare threaten my future! ?'
Sketch leapt into a crescent kick. Terry caught his leg and swung him aside. 'You're seriously psycho kid'.
'Ugh! Wouldn't you be? I have to listen to every whine and whinge a person in twenty feet feels. I can't tame it but I can tame my destiny. The world will learn the anarchy I sense!'
'For a kid you use a lot of words' Terry said as he caught Sketch with a kick to the gut. Sketch staggered back.
'It's how I feel...and you? You're confused. What am I talking about? I'm not colour blind, I just can't see anything other then black and white. It's a nightmare that you escape. So...screw you!'
Sketch caught him with a baton, moving fluidly and with intense anger. Terry had no choice he unleashed a full force kick into the boy's ribs and sent him shooting backwards.
'Enough Sketch' Rocco said. He stood on the other side of the roof with a strange ball in hand. It was the size of a soccer ball and made of black and silver plates. Rocco tossed it and spun into a kick that sent it whirling into Terry's stomach. He buckled and collapsed wheezing. Rocco rushed forwards, catching the ball as it returned...
'Our boss is waiting' Rocco said. 'Here.' The ball shot forwards and crashed into Terry's chest knocking him off the roof towards the snowy streets. 'Terry!' Bruce shouted. Terry hit the thrusters and spread his wings. His descent slowed but he hit a lamppost with his stomach...not slick.
He landed at the feet of someone. The man wore steel-toed boots and black trousers leading to a blood red jacket with silver lining and rectangular strips that held it closed. In his white-gloved hands he held a black cane.
His face was painted white and he was bald under his black top hat that had a skull set on its red velvet band. His coat tails flowed as he watched the man rise with ghastly grey eyes. 'I am Victor Zeiss. You may or may not have known my Father Philo Zeiss.' The blood red lenses lowered to his eyes from his hat as frames and silver links slid into place from the other parts of his hat. 'Prepare to die.'
And then he punched the sore Terry in the throat.
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Erika hopped along the Upper floors and slapped slammed a hand through the ply board wall. She pulled an electric cable out and the power flickered to "mood lighting". 'This is fun' she smiled.
She uncurled the whip from around her waist and used it as a skipping rope as she advanced down the line of dresses. She tossed the small buttons in amongst the garments and took what looked like a clicking pen from her belt. 'Clutterbuck babe' she sighed. 'May you rest in pieces!' She hit the button and the tiny explosions went off, flames devoured the colourful clothes. 'I am such a fashion critic she sighed as she merrily skipped down the aisle to the bed linens.
'What nothing in black velvet?' Erika scoffed. She snapped her whip angrily. 'That's just no good!'
She slashed out with the whip and shattered the gut of one of the mannequins. She skipped along the row and shredded the perfect faces off two. She looked at the row all looking like Delphi Cartland. 'Naughty, Naughty Delphi. Chop suey for you-y' she smirked.
She cracked the whip and decapitated the first then removed the arms of the next before shattering the knees of another and lastly coiling her whip around the neck of the final one. 'TTFN' she snarled as the barbs curled from the whip into the neck of the mannequin who was then flung with a twist into the others knocking them all to the ground in a heap. 'Shocked?' the electric current ran up the whip and the mannequins and their clothes burst into flame. 'Now she should REALLY have considered flame retardant winter wear. She took a running jump and landed bouncing on the big pink covered bed. 'Oh these linens simply must go!' she exclaimed.
'Hey! You!'
The security officers advanced. 'Uwww' she said laughing and bouncing higher. 'Are y'all here for me?'
'What a fox' one murmured.
'Cat darling, can't you tell?' she laughed.
'I don't know if I should start shooting or fall in love?'
'Try both' Erika somersaulted over them twisting like a corkscrew. She landed and spun into a spin-kick that sent them both staggering away. 'Honestly! You rent-a-cops are so pathetic! This is my first time at this gig!'
The man landed a punch on her stomach. She gasped and buckled in surprise before giving a laugh. 'Like I said, my first time!' She cracked her whip upwards and wrenched a decorative mobile from the roof down on top of him.
The other tackled her to the ground. As she fell she planted a knee in his groin and grabbed his shirt collar, rolling backwards and flinging him over. She snapped back to her feet with a laugh. She kicked over a line of mannequins so they landed on top of him. She pulled three slender throwing knives from somewhere on her body and hurled them into a pipe on the wall. Gas hissed out.
'Wait! We're single, in our late thirties! We've never had a chance at getting married! Our take home's less then 300! You can't just kill us!'
'Yes I can, because you're employees here, sleazy, stupid, macho and OVERPAID' Erika sneered. She stabbed through the wood and wrenched an electric cable out; shredding it in two sending sparks flaring up. 'The electrics in this place stink' she added. She slashed a pipe with her shortened claws and grinned with glee as the water poured onto the cable sending sparks flying as she danced away.
'Gotta dash' she added.
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Victor spun and hacked with his cane as it crackled with red light. The hiss of the heated staff passed his ear forced Terry to throw himself aside. He swung a hand and caught the grey-eyed man in the neck.
'Philo Zeiss was an old enemy. He died long ago after someone slit his throat in a bloody battle royal' Bruce said. 'That was after he had been stabbed through the chest by Egyptian Ninjas. Victor must be his son'
'He said so' Terry grunted. He hurled a batarang but the cane easily deflected them. 'How did he get so fast?'
'I ran a scan, he's not got the enhancements of his father...but I believe those goggles in his hat are Zeiss's they let him see things in slow motion. Careful' Bruce said.
'Man Terry watch yourself' Max said, her voice ringing clear over the link. 'Sorry I was away so long I saw that kid in the green goggles and his Car trick...that's impressive design scheme. So who's this yutz?'
Zeiss kicked Terry in the face. 'Ouch' Max winced.
And suddenly the doors of a Cartland Fashions store burst open. The black shape cartwheeled forwards, incredible flip after incredible flip. She landed and looked up breathing heavily, looking very expectant. 'Meow' she announced dryly...and the shop behind her exploded into a cloud of flame.
Zeiss and Terry shielded themselves from the flame and hail of glass. They looked back to see the Catwoman leap into the air and stab her claws into the side of a building before vanishing into the shadows.
'What a woman!' gasped Terry.
He leapt into the air and shot off as Zeiss roared insults at him. He may have been leading the orphans now but Catwoman intrigued Terry more.
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A/N: Okay there are (19) little things in this chapter and I cheated by adding the name of someone on the credits of the new Catwoman in (try looking Iced by Zeiss (or the others of that arch) if you have it...I'm helping here). The first is the fact to really star you on is that Selina first met Bruce at a Bachelor auction for the wild preserve. Now search if you dare! Review me please!