Batman Beyond

The time to reveal has come at last!!! Here is my list for the first two chapters! At the end of the fic you'll find references and so forth! I also tribute a very special piece to CATgrl because I can't stand Dana "I'm-so-fine-I-wreck-your-mind-in-a-non- cool-way" Tan. Grrrrr I'd rather Terry had a crush on Nelson Nash then that hag!

Chapter 3: Feline Attraction

Terry raced over the roofs as fast as he could.

'Hey cowboy, where's the fire?' she lay curled on the top of a power box. 'Aside from the House of Cartland?'

'I--' terry began. Then the kick lanced into his ribs and sent him flying backwards. Catwoman sauntered forwards as he rose. 'That was very unpleasant' he stated.

'So is this city' she smirked and spun into a barrage of pirouette kicks. Terry caught her leg and swung her off the rooftop. She landed on the slanted roof of the building nearby balancing on her toes and claws; her weight spread enough so she was lighter. 'Why protect it?'

She leapt up the slope to the flat and damp concrete of the joined roves. 'Because if I don't know one will' Terry said as he landed in a crouch. 'So you're Catwoman?'

'No I'm Chihuahua Girl' she snorted. 'Or Squirrel Sister...wasn't the damn "Meow" a point in that direction?'

'She's pretty sarcastic' Max commented over the com-link.

Terry dodged a slash and kicked her hard in the gut sending her flying to the ground near the edge. She gasped. 'How could you!' she croaked. 'I'm a woman!'

'Sorry' Terry exclaimed as he moved forwards. Her foot connected with his gut and then her legs snared his neck to whip him off the roof onto the next one.

'As I was saying' she said rolling onto her side to laze on the ledge of her rooftop, propping her head on her hand. 'I'm a woman and not to be taken for granted...Good God! How can a guy fall for that trick?'

She vaulted from her decadent relaxed lying position onto the same roof as Terry. 'Honestly!'

'Uuuww' Max said. 'She got game'.

'Terry careful, don't underestimate her, she may not be as paranormally strong as Inque but she is no push over from what I can see' Bruce said.

'Got it' Terry grumbled

Terry sliced her legs from under her with a sweep. She landed in the Crab position and flipped backwards. She could predict his moves and there were lots of those to contend with. They attacked fighting with passion and flame. Terry clocked her in the jaw and she yelped in surprise. 'That was good' she said touching her jaw.

She spun and slammed him in the head with a kick. 'That was better' she added.

Terry rose and she kicked out at him. He dodged and released a blast of jabs at her gut. She buckled with a gasp. He raised his fist and hesitated. That was all she needed. Erika sprang up and slashed him across the chest before launching into a cartwheel that ended in his torso and knocked him back off the roof. Her whip cracked out and caught him by the neck catching him on the edge leaving him teetering on the edge of the roof, balancing on his heels.

'Whatever you do...' Bruce whispered.

'Don't sneeze?' Terry grunted. 'Good thing I'm not allergic to cats'

'I hope you get this Batman, why I'm like this? I'm a thief yes but I have a burning desire to show this city the error of its ways. But I don't want to help it up I want to kick it while it's groaning in pain. I want to shatter its teeth and gouge out its eyes. I don't want to save it I want to bring it crashing down!'

'But this city's too stupid' Terry said. 'Don't get me wrong I'll always protect it but I never wanted to get roped into saving the city from itself! I became Batman to see that Justice was done. It was done after a long fight but this city can't help but screw itself over...'

'Wow a decent conversation from a man? What is it a blue moon?' she coiled the whip in her talons. 'But still you help them? Why?'

'Because if I don't both good and bad suffer' Terry said, he slipped the small cylinder from his belt. 'I owe it to the people who help me, care and look after one another, help even those who don't need it. Because when I ask for them to listen they ask for my autograph...or a naked photo shoot...don't ask' he added.

'I amn't surprised' she said with a purr. 'But they really are deaf and blind to themselves. It's called Entropy and this city has it bad...I'm the cure. By putting it down.'

'That's one way of looking at it...damn why are all the gorgeous ones psychotic or thieves!'

'I resemble that' Catwoman said.

'You do' stated Batman. He hurled the cylinder up. The flare burst and showered the cat in red sparks as the bat jetted backwards onto a balcony. His back grazed it tearing the covering of the red and black cyber armour down his spine.

Catwoman shrieked and thrashed as the scarlet flash blinded her. She focused on Batman as he finally got a good look at her. She wore black leather and vinyl that had white stitches at various areas, contrasting sharply with the black. Her mask had sharp ears to it and the eyes of her cowl were dark green. She wore a pair of silver gauntlets and had a small choker and gold belt. Her laced up high heeled boots and strapped to her thigh was a set of small throwing knives.

'I'm feeling catty Batman' she said. 'So let's try our little fight again...'

She leapt forwards and cracked her whip catching the rung of a balcony frame and swung at him. He dodged past her legs as they slammed off the concrete and gave him a chance to punch her across the back of the head.

Arching into a flip she raked the toes of her boots down at him. He spun and punched her across the jaw with the back of his fist. She slammed into a wall and crumpled into a whimpering heap. 'H-How c-could you' she whimpered. He moved forwards... her limbs exploded out a kick sending him shooting back over the balcony. 'So, do you have a quota you have to meet for falling for that trick? Or are you just stupid?'

'Refuse to answer that question' Max chirped.

'I refuse to answer that question' Terry said. His fingers were slipping. 'What about you? How many times are you going to get hit by something nasty?'

The batarang sliced through the air and slit away the covering of her costume to reveal cybernetic armour of black and green. 'Nice shot!' exclaimed Catwoman. She raised her claws. 'I love that belt, I'll show you mine if you show me yours' she purred.

The shot rang out and a vase near Catwoman's head exploded.

"THAT WAS A WARNING SHOT" the voice over the loudspeaker boomed. "KEEP YOUR HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM AND LIE ON THE GROUND!"

The commissioner was on the opposite roof top, her pistol before her. With a snarl Catwoman glanced around.

'Erika!' Selina's voice called. 'Use the camouflage stealth mode, it will render you invisible...'

Touching her ear Erika nodded and pressed the button on her belt, she faded away. Terry swung up and swiped the air. She was gone...but there were claw marks to match the ones on his suit, they taunted him and said:

The Catwoman Is Out To Play.

===================================================

'My shop was destroyed' Delphi said to Victor over the phone. 'I said it wasn't to be damaged.'

'Rocco's getting recon on the whole Catwoman situation' Victor stated. 'And the fact she got away with the diamond. What do you want us to "repossess" next?'

'The Beti-Ma statuette' Delphi said. 'And THIS time bring Rocco to attend to it. He's not a bad thief.'

She sighed and looked at the door as Erika sashayed in and looked around. 'Ms Cartland do you know where Chippy is? We were all set to have tea and crumpets this snowy noon and then he didn't call' she sighed. 'Typical! Can't count on a man. So seen him?'

'No' Delphi said slowly. 'I haven't a clue'

'Oh gosh. I really thought he'd fallen for me! Darn it now!' she whinged theatrically. 'Well I'm off to shop until I drop. Can I have the day off? Thanksyourthebest'

She breezed out. Roma looked at Delphi and blinked.

=======================================

Terry picked up the box. Bruce had been paying him and he'd already picked up the stuff for his family. Matt would be getting a Batman action figure...his mom was getting a Cred Voucher for Harris-Faucher the high-end boutique. And he'd bought Dana the necklace.

'She'll like that' a voice said. Terry turned and looked at her. Erika smiled and flicked her hair away. 'The fact I have to go straight to the office from school means I don't get a chance to shop often. So I got the day off'

'Schway, did the Ghost of Christmas present send Cartland an e-mail or something?'

'I could ask you the same thing' she said. 'How's life with Bruce Wayne?'

'As far as life goes?' murmured Terry. 'Not so bad'. They walked down the street together. Erika was dressed in tight black trousers and dark blue Doc Martins with a dark red top that had gaps over it and a high collar there was a thin black top under it that he could just see. She also wore long black coat.

'Is it me or does the world suddenly seem like its not all crap?'

Terry looked at her, her black and purple hair flowing in the chill wind and smiled. 'I guess it's a good day' he said. 'So...you're last name Marken?'

'Arkham' she corrected.

'Like the Asylum' Terry said then bit his lip and slapped his head. 'Sorry Insert foot in Mouth. It's chronic'

'Actually you're right. My Great-Great-Great grandfather was Newmar Arkham (from Lovecroft outside of Keystone). The Doctor who set up Arkham with the family fortune...then that fortune skyrocketed becoming millions. And then his family was cut off'

'Ow' muttered terry. 'What like your grandparents lost the money on the stock market?'

'Actually' Erika said. 'I was meant to inherit but my Legal Guardian, Alice Shrek, "found" a clause and I would up without a penny on the streets. She's got it tied up in accounts now. I can't touch it but neither can she.'

'What about your parents'

'Dead' Erika said staring ahead; she drew in a breath as they walked on through the park. 'Murdered...they say it was a car crash...but do all cars have drained brake lines? The police gave up.'

'My Dad was murdered' Terry said. 'By Powers...I found out but they stole my evidence...'

Erika and Terry were walking through the park now. The snow was heaped up on either side of path and there was no one around. Erika looked at Terry. 'I'm unique, there's no one like me, no one who knows me...I feel alone, like I'm the only person in a crowd...if my parents were here, my life would be...like snow. White and pristine, unflawed.'

'No one's life is like that'

'In comparison' Erika said as she slowly raised herself on her toes towards his lips. 'A life is always held in comparison...'

The snow exploded upwards as the two men leapt out with hacksaws. 'Hand over the bags!' one shouted. The other eyes Erika. Terry stepped in front to Erika, an arm protectively asking her to step aside. Erika ducked under and stepped forwards to look at the two men. Unbeknownst to anyone her eyes shifted into the slit pupilled gaze of a tiger for a moment.

The first one grabbed her shoulder. She caught his fingers, twisted and snapped them before curling into a spinning kick that sent him backwards to make angels in the snow.

The other moved at her. Terry kicked him in the gut and then the face toppling him away. Erika smirked. 'You're a hero' she said. A blush rose on Terry's face as she walked over to him and ran her fingers down his jaw. 'What do you see in Dana?' she said her eyes locked with his.

'I...She's great'

'But something tells me she'll never understand you...we're birds of a feather...'

Terry blinked. 'Come to Nelson Nash's party' he breathed. 'It's tonight at seven...at his house...uhh you know Moench Street? It's 567 I'll tell him that you're coming.'

Erika stepped back and smiled. 'I'll consider it I have a very full schedule...' she laughed dryly. 'Gotta run, I'll buy you and Mr Wayne something!' she called as she stepped on the groin and then the chest of one of the man she'd taken down, walking over the snowdrift towards the gate. 'See you!' she called.

Terry watched her leave and headed home to wrap the presents.

==============================================

Rocco was 20 years old. He was thin but muscled, his skin was pale and his hair was now dyed blue. Recently. His brown eyes focused on Sketch who was apparently pretending to sleep in his T-shirt with the torn sleeves and baggy black cotton pants. The numerous scars on his body are visible. Rocco remembered finding the boy in the sewers. Lying unconscious on the concrete walkway.

He came too and all he could remember was his name and that he knew how to survive. Rocco didn't want the boy hurt. He was 16 and couldn't remember the last 9 years of his life. Rocco looked at Victor. 'He's an insomniac actually; he hasn't slept much if ever. He fakes pretty well. I don't know if its his gift or whatever...'

'We have to steal the Beti-Ma artefact tonight. The Catwoman will strike most definitely... we should be prepared'.

'She'll probably try kill me' Rocco yawned. He didn't realize Sketch's eyes had snapped open. He was lying in the mass of rags with his sketches of devices all around him. 'Sketch stays here tonight' he said.

'You screwing him Rocco?' laughed the muscled Orphan.

'Shut up Brubaker' Rocco snorted. 'Keri, Gorf, go call the others to ride out. Brubaker, make sure Sketch doesn't leave. Distract him by whatever means you got'.

The bulky muscle man nodded. Sketch stifled an angry snarl and snuggled deeper into his bed to make his fake sleep seem more real.

Dana danced close and Terry wasn't arguing though he moved with half a heart. He didn't -not- like Dana. He might even grow to love her...but he felt like she had become a substitution...for Catwoman? She was so...intense! No he was confusing himself now, she was a psychopath.

'OMG' Dana stated. 'What the hell is Erika Arkham doing here?'

Erika was linked with a very smitten Nelson's arm. 'I invited her' Terry said.

'What! Why?' squawked his girlfriend. His only reply was a shrug. Erika smiled at terry and waved as she led Nelson by making him think he was leading her. 'Dana! Hi!' Erika said. 'Kiss, Kiss, Hug, Hug! How's that stick up your behind? Still rigid and frigid I assume!'

Terry stifled a snort. Erika waved at him. 'Hi' she said. 'Nelson was being a doll, he just told me how Hamilton High beat Gallant high flat out...I was a cheerleader I think...don't ask I blot it out.'

'How did you ever get into that middle school in Central City?' Dana scoffed. 'My cousin said the fees were a mortgage'

'I had someone close to me to pay. Not that I wanted to mix with those snobs' Erika snapped. Nelson and Terry look at one another and stepped back. Dana and Erika stare each other down.

'You're a slut' Dana stated. 'An ex-frumpy now-skanky slut'

Erika smiled as Dana turned back to Terry. 'Oh, Dana' Erika called. Dana turned around as a smiling Erika popped her in the jaw. 'You're just plain stupid.'

Max pressed the ice pack to Dana's black eye. 'Wow that was some left hook' she said. Dana pouted and Terry fought his laughter down. Erika swept into the kitchen and grabbed a soda off the counter as Max put the icepack down.

'You asked for that one Dana' Erika said in a sharply cold tone. She plucked some ice from the icepack and dropped them into her glass of soda. 'Cheers' she added raising it with a clink of ice and smile.

Dana gave a seething glare. Terry glanced at his watch. 'Oh nuts! It's...I have to go!' he exclaimed. 'Shopping to finish...and stuff'

Dana stayed silent while Max shook her head. 'Run along' Max said. Terry nearly rammed into Erika on his way out of the kitchen. 'What time is it?' she asked.

'Uhh nearly twelve' he said. Erika's eyes widened. 'Damn!' she swore.

They darted of together splitting off in separate directions at the door.

=============================

...Terry shot down the road as fast as he could pulling his costume from his backpack

...Erika sped down the road on her bike, the cowl of her costume jutted from her belt.

...Terry was standing in the stairwell trying to pull his trousers off

...Erika was pulling her suit up to her waist, standing on an elevator in the mall

...Terry pulled the boot on and tried hurriedly to clip the belt properly

...Erika tugged her boots on lacing them up and tucking the knives in

...Batman pulled his cowl on

...Catwoman donned her mask

==========================

'I'm going out Brubaker' stated a rather annoyed Sketch. 'Try and stop me and I'll be angry'

The muscle man leapt in front of him with a shake of his head. 'Uh-uh' he said. 'Rocco said stay...'

The jab to his shoulder suddenly left the man with only one working arm. 'I warned you' Sketch said. He spun and kicked Brubaker into the corner. 'I'm sorry'.

============================

Rocco examined the schematics on the small handheld screen then turned his tools back to the control panel. 'This is it' he grinned.

He pulled the large black ball attached to his hip out and tapped a button on it. He rose and the four Orphans followed him out. Victor was waiting. 'Testing' Rocco said and kicked the ball. The brown-eyed Australian grinned as the black orb released a burst of mist that made flickering laser lines visible. The lines vanished and the ball bounced back to Rocco.

'I'll go double check I cut off the camera's' Rocco said in his slow drawl. He rushed in the door and his face met a fist. Groaning he struggled to rise. 'It's nothing against you' Sketch said. The light flowed from behind his goggles and suddenly Rocco couldn't feel his limbs anymore.

'When you come too you'll be safe' promised Sketch. 'I owe you too much to let that psycho Cartland get you killed.'

He lifted Rocco up and grabbed the ball he'd designed for him. 'You'll hate or be angry at me I know but I can't help that...'

===========================

Victor looked at the pedestal the cat was on. 'Why do I have such a loathing for this thing?' he sighed.

An Orphan with a sword on his back watched as the light on the panel under the artefact turned off. 'Done' he said.

'Yes you are'. The whip caught Victor around the neck and dragged him down. 'I'm not crazy - - enough to fight you Victor' Catwoman said. 'So you just stay there'.

She spun and kicked the Orphan with the sword onto Victor and gently tapped the case with a claw. It fell apart instantly a faint acidic smell in the air. 'Careful Erika' Selina warned. 'You don't want to tangle with Victor!'

'No intention of doing so...yet' shrugged Erika. She grabbed the idol and slammed it into her satchel as she kicked an Orphan girl into a wall. 'Well it's been fun' she cooed. 'Kiss kiss and all that!'

She hurled a button bomb at the window as Victor leapt to his feet. The sonic burst shattered the glass. Erika back flipped onto the ledge and blew a final kiss. 'Adios'.

She leapt off the building and landed on the monorail. 'Always so prompt, I should send a letter to the mayor!' she laughed.

'They have nice stationary in jail' Terry said. He stood behind her. She spun and smiled at him. 'You know this is kind of perseverance is a major turn on for me' she breathed. She smirked and performed an arching backwards flip onto the side of the monorail digging her claws into the metal before shoving off and gliding backwards on seemingly nothing, towards the ground. The cat cable lanced out from her left wrist and she swung around and down towards the hovering traffic. She landed in a crouch on a van and waved goodbye as she was whisked away.

Terry glanced up at the museum; the police were there...he couldn't tangle with Victor not yet...well whatever happens... he would eventually.

=============================

Erika hopped along the road. A light clunked on and she leapt as a black limo sped at her. She landed on it and ran over the bonnet and roof. 'Wow my claim to fame could have been "I was nearly run over by a limo"...oh well dreams quashed again' she sighed as the car swung around at her. 'How often do you see a cat as road kill?'

She jack knife flipped to her right as the car slammed a bench.

'If I was Hedgehog Girl I'd be terrified' she added.

'Erika! What's happening?' exclaimed Selina. 'Turn on your link!'

'Isn't it already?' Erika asked as she back flipped and vaulted into a tree.

'No, I've bugged onto your system' Selina said. 'If you turn me back on I can see what you see. Help you'.

'This is not a sign of me stopping the vengeance game' warned Erika as she leapt off the tree and ran over the limo as it rammed it. She landed in front of a Cartland Fashions shop.

'Well I'm not going to try and change you...I don't have a microcell of cyanide to inject you with'

'Sound like you know your stuff' Erika muttered as she reluctantly turned the link back on. Selina got a screen capture of the limo. 'Registered to Delphine Cartland' reported Selina.

'I wish I were surprised' Erika muttered. She fired her cable and lifted herself away from the speeding car that veered off second before it could hit the shop. She hurled three small darts at it. It shrieked away as the small explosions hit the engine. Inside Roma cursed and sped off as fast as she could. She paused and looked at the museum with a smile dancing on her lips...

==============================

'She ruined the car' stated Roma. 'I think Victor should deal with her...he could beat her I'm sure!'

'The cat has too many lives' Delphi said. They stood in her high-rise apartment, her three bodyguards all around. Delphi wore a very short green nightgown. 'But I'd rather take my chances with Victor Zeiss killing her then attaching her to a...a flying umbrella! CALL HIM!'

==========================

At that moment Victor was staring at the woman pacing back and forth across the room. The Orphans were based in an old subway station. Catwoman looked at him and held up a white handkerchief. 'Peace' she said. 'We have a mutual goal'.

Victor looked to Sketch; he was nursing a bruised cheek and coldly contending with glares from the Orphans. 'You sent their leader to Opal city, they'll be very resentful and I'll leave them to deal with you'.

He closed the door of the car and smirked as the Orphans closed around Sketch. 'Now, what do you want tabby?'

'The same thing as you, chaos in the city and the destruction of the Bat...'

Victor was about to answer when his phone rang. He lifted it to his ear. 'Victor' he snapped.

'Hello Victor' Delphi sighed. 'This is your employer...I just called to ask how things are...'

'Sketch knocked Rocco out and sent him to Opal City on a monorail and has had him detained by a friend. Rocco won't be back anytime soon'

'And what about Sketch?'

'The Orphans are annoyed' shrugged Victor. 'You said you wanted the city brought to its knees at any cost?'

'Except for the destruction of my property' Delphi said. 'When it's been broken down to infant level I can build it right back up. But better...my way'

'All right' Victor said. 'And then I get my money and the publicity for killing the Bat?'

'Yes' sighed a jaded Delphi. 'Now go rip him apart!'

'Any means' nodded Victor. 'So long as I get noted for killing the Bat...' He snapped the phone shut and looked at Catwoman. 'What do you have in mind?'

'All out... Havoc, Chaos, Bedlam, Anarchy and some Pandemonium if we have the time...and best of all...Batman will get a major headache distracting him, wearing him down...before we deal the killing blow' she sliced through a chair in the subway and the stuffing fell out.

Victor glanced form the woman to the chair. 'A partnership you say? And what do you suggest we strike?'

'The tree lighting of course...' purred Catwoman. 'Oh... I feel all dirty...I need a bath!' She ran a tongue over her leathers and vinyl. A dark smiled that Zeiss shared on her face.

Selina rose from the seat in the Cat Lair. She looked to her cat. 'Well Ms Kitty...Isis...Hercules...Agamemnon, Osirus, Paws, Bandit, Snow, Paris, Shell, Bell, Red Fox, Mouse, Giz, Steeljacket...we have someone to call.'

She looked at the growing army of cats. 'Yes I'm aware it's been a long time.'

TBC

There are (16) references this time, SEARCH! SEARCH! SEARCH! If you feel like it

CH1:

Cartland Fashions = Cassandra Cartland was Catwomans copycat nemesis

Cheshire Cat = the sign on the buildings of Max Schrek from Batman Returns

Santa Baby... = One of Eartha Kitt's biggest hits, she played Catwoman

East End Zeiss and Penguin = in the latest story-arch this is a current event

Delphi/Cassandra Cartland = Cassandra/Delphi see the connection?

Catwalk episode = One of Catwoman's last episodes

Christmas time = what time was it in Batman Returns?

The coffee compliment = Max patronizes Selina by complimenting her coffee

Corn dog = It's what Selina called herself all the time originally anyway

Red Claw = First appearance of Catwoman she fought Red Claw with Batman

Gold dress = Eartha Kitt as Catwoman stole this in an old episode

Shoved out a window= How did Selina Kyle die first?

Cat CPR = Yup we spoke of the Batman Returns...

Zeiss = Latest villain who killed Selina...technically

CH2

Cockroaches in Coffee = in the original script Selina gave this extra ingredient to her boss Max Shreck (Christopher Walken)!!!

Bachelor Auction = In "The Cat & The Claw" Bruce and Selina met at an auction for the wild animals sanctuary.

Selina's date = Selina took a rain check on the date with Bruce to investigate the plans for the Wildlife reserve.

Magnifying glass = In the Technicolor Batman Show Catwoman left the Dynamic Duo to be fried by giant magnifying glasses! One of the most memorable traps ever!

Dress cutter = Batgirl nearly met her death against this trap of the Earth Kitt Cat

Swan Crown = Catwoman stole this in her comic book from a certain prince...

Gallant High = Gallant was the very annoying federal man in control of Selina during the infamous Cat Files

Scraped Cat window = we get the menacing look at Catwoman as she scraped her claws across the window of the department store!

Savaged dollhouse = Selina Kyle took a needle to the dollhouse in the movie, a small thing you'd probably miss but I'm unfair.

Sprayed apartment = Catwoman really knows how to remodel!

Ms Kitty, I feel so...= Much Yummier? Get it? From Batman Returns? Geddit? Huh?

Tic Tac Toe = the poor mugger met this fate at the claws of Michelle Pfeiffer!

Catwoman roar= I am Catwoman...hear me roar...not long after Tic Tac Toe

Monotony = this was a song by Eartha Kitt...I'm a bit of a fan of hers.

Destroys the store = Shreck lost a bundle when Catwoman went shopping.

Destroys mannequins = Michelle Pfeiffer did her own whip work including the decapitation of the mannequins!

Clem Robins = the current letterer in Catwoman (well the Zeiss Arc at least)

Fall in love or shoot? = Thos poor guards in B: R really, really, REALLY should have shot.

Back flips and meow = the memorable introduction with all three major characters in Batman Returns