The Gotham Adventures

Christmas special 3 parter

By Bruce Smith

Part 2

Annie's First Christmas

It had been awhile since Bruce has gone to the Gotham Mall for Christmas shopping. Meanwhile, in stately Wayne Manor, Annie and Tim decided to help Alfred decorate Christmas tree and lights inside and out of the Manor while enjoying the holiday alongside Ace the Wayne Family's dog.

After the decorations were finished, the mystery couple with Ace watched some Christmas special on TV.

"Wow Tim I never thought there are more holidays after Thanksgiving this Christmas seem to be the most beautiful without the bird scratches from our feathered friend," Annie commented on the time when her and Tim's experience in a game of catch the Turkey in Thanksgiving.

"Hey, what can I say; Christmas rocks and the best part is we can just have a normal Christmas night with nothing much happening now that we're just here together with Ace and Alfred. I'm sure Bruce is having his hands full on the Gotham Mall as we speak."

Tim responded as Annie cozied up on the couch and gave him a warm hug. After all the work decorating the Wayne Manor and helping with putting the star on the Christmas tree, Annie felt calm after all the crime fighting, school and most importantly her insecurity from her real family but not just Clayface but mainly her sister. Katherine Karlo was getting harder than each time they had encountered each other since that fateful day they meet but now Annie don't want to keep worrying about it now that everything seems to be fine so far as Annie holds Tim tight and Tim hugs her back watch the Christmas special until the TV started to acted pretty strange and the channel turns the screen to static.

"Hey what is going on this isn't right Alfred is there something going on with the cable?"Tim asked.

Annie felt uneasy. Ace whimpered to Annie and gave her a puppy dog eyed look.

"Aww, I'm sorry Ace. I didn't mean to make you sad. It's not your fault, okay boy? I should never act so worried about nothing as long as you guys are around."Annie responded. Ace licks her on the face.

"Hey, okay boy calm down I love you too please stop." Annie couldn't help but laugh at Ace. He stopped to see Alfred and Tim still checking the cable. The TV came back on and showed a little elf sitting with a face cover in darkness as a Santa Claus with reindeers and two other elves, male and female.

"Tim, come quick. The TV is on but there's something wrong!" Annie called.

Alfred followed him as their back in the living room and seeing the small elf grab a microphone and spoke

"Ah Christmas is the most wonderful thing in the earth and it's days like this where we have a few special guests to be involved in this special along with the jolly himself Santa Claus with the reindeers say hohoho Santa!"

"Hohoho, Merry Christmas everyone." said the Santa with the reindeers repeated the same thing.The elves laughed. Annie got that feeling again as the small elf resumed her speech.

"Greetings Gotham City as I'm gald to win Santa little helper in the host for the show you can call me little Karlo."

As the elf said her name she reveal her face as the lights flash to her, as the other two elves has carried out big presents to little Karlo who is happy but with a bit of darkness in her smile.

"Santa, it's okay with everyone to know what's in these presents it would be a real surprise when we see it?"She asked as she now sit on the smaller one.

"Sure thing little girl let see what I have in all the presents!" The strange jolly man in red said while still on the chair as the two elves give the little Karlo a knife to open them. When she stabbed all the presents open, the lights went off and Karlo's voice is asking the audience this

"Now, kids, time to play the old "What's in the box?" Humph, more like. "Who's in the boxes." But oh well since it's the holidays we must be genuine about this for the special guests who watching this as I speak so Gotham I like you to meet the Knights in flying wings the Bat Family!!! Give them a big hand everyone!!!"

The Mystery Couple looked in horror as they revealed Batman Nightwing and Batgirl wrapped around in Christmas lights, gagged with Christmas-themed clay. Katherine acted as if the audience was clapping and cheering like she's doing. She pulled knife out of her elf costume and cut the gag out of Batgirl holding her hair and pulled it to make her head look into Katherine's eyes while cover in what looks like cut marks around her.

"So Batgirl how things are done you think that are special guest is being so much of a jerk that they can't be here when the camera is rolling?" Katherine said as she has the knife behind her back with a calm smile like nothing's wrong

"How can you do this to us, Karlo, even on the Holidays!" Batgirl asked.

"Why, look at you catching up with the script and that's what I'm going to do. You see, Bat Family, Christmas is about peace on mankind, and most importantly family and since I no longer have a family until now we decided to make it bigger and better than what you guys got. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about, the Magnificent Claydoll herself and her lover bird who gets in the way but knows how to make this much exciting," Little Karlo explained.

"I was hoping that the bad feeling I had was just a false alarm but now this is becoming a nightmare come to life Tim we have to save them! "

Annie said

"I know what you mean, Annie.To think she would become a pain instead of like you? But we can't worry thinking about it now we have to find their location."

"Yeah, Tim, you're right." Annie responded with a calm smile.

"Okay Claydoll and Robin ready to start the first challenge? The answer is in a spot where the Christmas ice sculptures in the ice rink around the center of the bell which will ring on new year's days get there to find the next clues or the bell may have a big bong to big the whole ice so if you let it go down these flying family of yours will have their Christmas curtains well cut if you know what I mean Merry Christmas!!"

As the two have the first message Annie and Tim go to the Batcave to get suit up and headed to the Batwing in order to make it to the bell in time.

" Well since I can't go to the Batmobile after my little incidents I'll be driving around the Batwing to get around while you check on what next for Katherine and the Mud Pack. The big one has to be Matt Hagan but the other two I don't know who they are."Tim explain to Annie while in the aircraft as Annie look at the map in see the spot where Katherine said the clue would be.

"Look Robin there's the bell around the ice rink we need to find out what's going on with this!"

"Awesome, let's go see what's going on. Good job Magnificent Claydoll!"

"Thank you, Robin" Claydoll blushed

The two made their way up to the top where the bell was. After Robin landed the Batwing. A clay -like red substance clung to the bell.

"ROBIN THOSE ARE SOME KIND OF EXPLOSION CLAY!!!

"WHAT?! I can't get it off!!!" Robin tugged, but Claydoll had a better idea.

She used all her strength to throw the bomb up the sky. It exploded like some New Year's fireworks. The Gothamites below cheered.

"You did Claydoll you save those people from being blown up!"Robin comments

"Thank you hey Robin I think there's a note in the bell let's get it."

Robin reads it and there is a communicator on the note that similar to there's as he turned it on. There was a message from Batman.

"If you are getting this I want you to know that the next clues are in a museum of the clay sculptures exhibit Christmas edition where the note will point to your final clue is in-"

"NO SPOILERS DARK KNIGHT!!!" Little Karlo knocked the Caped Crusader himself with one punch.

Annie and Robin were shocked. Batman and Nightwing have cuts and bruises. The communicator switched to the Mud Pack beating them almost unconscious. Katherine gave a sadistic smile.

"Guys, the location you need - hey little Karlo you know what I want for Christmas? It's to hopefully see the two kick the crap out of you guys!"Nightwing snarked to Little Karlo. She Kneed him in the ribs. Nightwing coughed up a little blood.

"You'll be especially quiet if I was you pretty boy or this knife will go to for mouth when I'm done with you." Little Karlo pointed the knife to Nightwing.

"You should be careful with teasing Little Karlo. She has a combined stuff as average person and the rest of us but that doesn't mean she'll enjoy showing you how scary she is," Preston said.

"Relax, darling she will go easy and by easy I mean she'll give it to you slowly since you're special to her sister, our niece, so if anyone dare to disobey to any of the rules well you know what will happen right?

"Of course we know. Just let me handle the kids in the museum especially her," Clayface said as the message ended.

"We got to get there let go to the Batwing. The Mud Pack will pay for this Holiday season or die trying!"

Annie ground her teeth and bladed her fists. Robin and she got to the museum, and he looked at Claydoll.

"Look Claydoll I know you are filled with rage against Katherine and the Mud Pack guys but you can't let hatred been your guide for vengeance. Think about all the times who let us see that from your angle."

Annie respond with a sigh of relief that Tim is there to keep her from doing what she going to regret and hugs me when they made it to top of the museum.

"Thank you, Robin. I don't know what to do without you."

"Don't think about that I'm always here for you Claydoll now let's go find the final clue."

The boy wonder said after he hug Claydoll with a kiss on the cheek to let her know this will end well.

As The Mystery Couple made it to the Clay exhibit here the clay sculpture of a Christmas tree and Santa Claus are there but before Claydoll gets the note a gunshot came and almost hit Claydoll's head.

I I'm sorry just thought it was some intruder in the exhibit," said a security guard with a gun pointed to the two as Robin is questioning why a security guard would be here at Christmas night. Claydoll got in the way and kicks the guard.

"Robin it's not a guard! it's Clayface! I can sense him!" Claydoll said before Robin can react to what just happened.

"Oh yeah I remember you can sense his presence of any part of him ! Hagan, show us where you hide them!" Clayface disintegrated breaks away from to pieces of him and inside there was another note with a communicator on it shows the final clue where the the Mud Pack and the Bat Family are in and the video of the Bat Family and the Mud Pack on screen while the Mud Pack are in their Christmas outfits.

"Hello, kids, Little Karlo here to congratulate the special guests who found the meaning of Christmas and is coming to our reunion to say hi. But if they don't come before time runs out well I guess we are going to have a fun time playing with them. So what are you waiting for? Get here now or you ruin everyone's fun, especially theirs."

"Hey I know where they are! No time to explain we have to go Claydoll!"

"Yeah you don't have to tell me, Robin! Let's end this holiday nightmare! To the Batwing!"

The two went to an abandoned theater, La Scala. As they made in the theater there were curtains on the old funny face movie room

"What is all this? It's probably the same room where we see my sister's little show well it's going to be cancelled tonight right Robin?"

" Yeah so where are they anyway?"Robin asked but then the lights flashed and darkened.

"We'll save you the trouble guys come give your presents you first Magnificent Claydoll catch."Little Karlo said while holding a knife to cut the rope to the Bat Family who going to fall. They dangled over a mouth-like hole which is Santa Hagan holding a Christmas sack made of clay that will absorb them if they fail to it but as Claydoll catch the present Preston Payne and Lady Clay hold Robin down so he won't do anything.

"Robin, no! Please let them go Katherine. I'm the one you want,so please look in your heart and tell me you really don't want to do this let's just talk about this before we fight okay."Katherine squeezed her fist.

"Perhaps you didn't hear me don't you? I just wanted to make you see and fully understand what I'm trying to show that no matter how far apart we are you are still my magnificent sister. Deep down, you've lied and said that they are your real family that you come to love and help because you and I both know what I want you to accept is that the reason you feel this way. You tell me that you'll be there to fight if I were to hurt or kill someone is because you like this, don't you?"Katherine said while still wanted to prove to Claydoll that she know what she is saying

"Look I know what you mean. I've been there but know I see that there so much more then that you are the one who need to see that we are accustomed the same thing and yet even if I'm even when I'm not around you I can still see that we are the same somehow. We both know what it's like to have no family and we both know how it like to be on each other footsteps but that doesn't mean you have to do this so if it makes you feel better I'll just see what's in the present now and you let them go deal?"

"Okay my my are we feeling the Christmas spirit today huh well go on then open it."

Katherine told Claydoll as she open it and as Claydoll opened the present is a photo of the Mud Pack with Katherine doing Family portrait title Our Real Family. Claydoll, stunned, looked at the back and saw a note:

"If only you are there, my missing lost one. You want to prevent this dream life of yours from being ruined you must be genuine about this for their sake I hope you can see though this struggle when this is over and everything else is almost over."

Love, your sister Katherine to my reasons to exist sister dear.

As the note ended Claydoll felt sorry for Katherine.

"If only I can help you before you become this way I wish I could make this better than it is now but I can't okay I just have to accept the fact that I have my path to follow and so you can do the same,"Claydoll stated as Katherine look upset about that decision

"Well if you still refuse to accept that you are just like us on the inside you don't deserve your reward have a merry Christmas sister!!"

Katherine now gets the knife to cut the rope to drop Bat Family but before they fell to the absorption clay sack by Matt Hagan Robin came out of out of nowhere and catch the Bat Family.

"What? Impossible! How did you get out of there!" Clayface asked

"Let's just say I made a shocking experience with your Uncle and Auntie whatever?"Robin answer as he untied the Bat Family

"It's been awhile since we been through this situation and then some,"Nightwing said as he and the rest manage to get out and face the Mud Pack

"I had to hand it to them; they did a good job even if we've been absent from all the action this Christmas.,Batgirl commented.

"Well save the comments later. Right now we have to get out of here and take Preston with us but first we have to help out the fight against the rest of this mess,"Batman said as they managed to get back on their feet.

"So you used the Bat taser from your belt to break free cool now things can be much easy now Robin you be careful with Hagan."

"What you going to do Claydoll?"Robin asked

"I'm going after Katherine."

Batman Nightwing and Batgirl faced off Lady Clay since Preston is already taken care of by Robin before he can used his poison touch by his bare hands which can work if the user allow as Robin knockout Preston after dodging bullets from the gun that Hagan cloned security guard used but with a few close melee hits on the by him before Robin stop him. Meanwhile the Dynamic trio are in a struggle with Lady Clay and Matt Hagan because of the beating they have from them but Robin come just in time to give them the upper hand as they manage to stop both of them

"No need to thank me for the fight but we need to find Claydoll and this Little Karlo!"Robin told as the Family is now searching the traces of both of them.

Meanwhile as Claydoll chase after Katherine who smiled with delight.

"Run all you can Claydoll! you can make the choices you made much find if you catch up!"

Katherine said. The two climbed a ladder to the theater roof.Katherine jumped to the closest roof and Claydoll doing the same. Katherine threw a knife at Claydoll which managed to hit her arm.

"Ow! There's nowhere to go Katherine it's over!" Claydoll said, pulling the knife out of her arm.

"Oh come on, Claydoll! But since you're having a bad time according to your situation let's make it end with a dance!"Katherine said as she gets another knife out of her elf costume and Claydoll dodge the attacks until she disarm the knife away from Katherine and pin her down.

"I said it's OVER! ENOUGH!!!" Claydoll said, but Katherine headbutted her sister's nose and elbowed Claydoll off her. Katherine and Claydoll put up a good hand to hand combat fight. Claydoll got more upset while Katherine was getting more faster than her but Claydoll knocked Katherine off her feet. Katherine almost fell off the edge of the roof and just when Katherine about to fail a hand grab her by the ankle as Katherine look upside down and see that Claydoll saved her.

"I might not have anything for you but at least I can do is say Merry Christmas my dear sister!"

Katherine managed quick smile while safely being pulled back to the rooftop.

"Aww I'm literally tearing up here, but don't pretend to be calm. Just because I attended, you will regret it one day, sister, "Katherine whispered to Claydoll's ear after she put the Bat handcuffs on her and been drag to the rest the Mud Pack.

"Yeah, Little Karlo, I know that but hope one day you'll see reason," Claydoll said with a very bittersweet smile on her face.

To be Continued for the results of the whole thing