Alrighty! For those of you who have read my story all the way through, this added chapter is not written by me, but rather for me by my good friend, Jason! He has written many fics for me lately, and he is made of awesome! Ge wrote this story as an Epilogue in honor of my story :) I loves him so! And I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I did!
Eddie Nashton took a seat calmy enough, though he felt a few butterflys of nervousness fluttering about his stomach. His gaze passed over the three people watching him closely from behind a simple plastic folding table, various official papers splayed in front of them. Two men, one woman, all wearing suits and possessed of a self-righteous air as they studied him. The room was small and concrete, as were many of the rooms in Arkam Asylum. One of the men pushed his spectacles up further and gave Eddie a prim look after glancing at a paper held in his hand, ''Hello Mr. Nashton, it has come to the parol board's attention that you have been deemed elligible for possible release from our asylum, how does this make you feel?''
Eddie's heart leaped into his throat... was he afraid to leave? If he left, Batman would likely stop playing chess with him, and Eddie was afraid to test his resolve against his urges to riddle... but still, he hated being confined like this, there had to be more productive uses for his time. ''I am happy to hear it, and feel myself ready to depart this awful place, there is no one here of which to carry on intelligent conversation with.''
The woman facing him raised an eyebrow above hawkish eyes, her lips pursed disdainfully, ''Well, Mr. Nashton, the choice is not yours, we shall be deciding how soon you are to leave.''
The second man piped in though, clearing his throat while covering his mouth with one chubby fist, then lifting a paper to his beady eyes as he spoke, ''However, we the board have been watching your progress, Mr. Nashton, you have finally accepted your given name and given up pushing your riddles on other patients, and the talks you have had with Batman when he comes to play chess with you have been noticed. We think some of the responses you have given Batman lately showed marked improvement in your ability to cope with society.''
The first man spoke again, running a hand along his moustache, ''Honestly, we only needed you to tell us you think you are ready, this board has already decided that you no longer need the assistance of Arkam.''
Eddie smiled, but something tugged at his elation, some strange fear he could not place. ''Thank you, shall I be leaving today?''
The first man nodded, ''Get your things together, your release is tomorrow at eleven.''
Eddie woke in a cold sweat. He was in his apartment, a slow turning ceiling fan squeeked noisily above him, yet one more thing his landlords refused to fix. He felt numbers. Did not think them, felt them, as if they swam along the very air around him as they did through his head. He jumped out of bed, snatched a note pad from his night stand, and began furiously scrawling his equations down, seeking to unlock what they meant. When he had wrote every thing he remembered, he stared at the paper for long moments, then threw the pad across the room with a scream of rage. The pad bounced off of a wall full of similar writings, each one a different set of numbers, each one just as mind boggling in it's seeming meaninglessness. Eddie paced the room, clenching and unclenching his fingers in anger, ''They have to mean something, there is something my unconcious mind is trying to tell me, my superior intellect approaches some great truth!'' Eddie kicked a rickety chair over in frustration, ''Dammit!'' Eddie let his thoughts slip back to Arkam, a few days ago...
''Sure Eddie, m'boy, I'll play.''
Eddie's heart sang in hopeful joy. Finally! Someone who might be smart enough to answer one of Eddie's riddles! A smile crossed his face but he still did not approach his quarry too closely, after all, the Joker was a dangerous maniac who was actually insane, unlike Eddie. An intelligent maniac, more of an artist than Eddie cared for, but obviously a deep thinker. Eddie glanced left and right, there were guards along the far wall, and a few other inmates sat at a nearby bench. Eddie wasn't sure how the Joker's behavior had ever been good enough to merit a breather up on the grounds, but it seemed safe enough to only talk to him. ''Good! I'll start you off with a simple one, then. I am a mirror with no glass, a reflection with no surface, what am I?''
The Joker smiled at him, a scary toothy smile, to Eddie's mind, and crossed his arms while one hand thoughtfully trailed his chin as he paced away from Eddie. ''Hmmm, clever, clever Eddie... that's not bad, but you were right, I guess you are pulling the punches until the next question?''
Eddie's face brightened as he stepped forward, eager to hear the Joker give him the answer, ''So you know... ah!''
The Joker grabbed him by the collar and Eddie realized too late that he had allowed the dangerous man to lead him into a dark corner of the compound, just out of view of the currently patrolling guard. He opened his mouth to yell for help, but Joker placed a strong hand over his mouth, muffling his cries. Eddie's eyes widened in panic as he watched the two inmates across from them glance at him then quietly stand up and walk away, as if nothing was happening. Joker leaned in, his eyes reflecting a strange light, ''What is wrong with you, Nygma? Your little tea parties with the bat reducing you to peddling riddles like a two-dollar whore?''
Eddie flushed red and the Joker lifted his restraining hand from his mouth, ''I play chess against him, he is the only worthy opponent available of late, you...''
Joker slapped him hard across the face, drawing blood. ''It doesn't do it for you though, does it?'' The Joker smiled widely, his eyes mirthfull, ''You wouldn't have approached me if it did, you came to me because secretly you need a friend on your crazy train.''
Eddie raised a hand to his bleeding lip, his eyes angry, ''I don't need your help, I just wanted to share an intelligent exchange!''
The Joker leaned even closer, his face inches from Eddie's, and Eddie cringed back a bit, ''I'm sure that's what you told yourself. You know your problem, Nygma? You only think with the front of your brain. Even confined to these walls, I am free. You walk from here and you'll still be trapped in the box Batman built for you.''
Eddie gnashed his teeth in anger, raising his voice, ''You have no concept of the capacity of my mind! My capacity for... oof!'' Eddie lost his wind as the Joker punched him hard in the gut.
The Jokers eyes flashed dangerously, ''And you have no idea how well I can read you. Your an pathetic, open book of misery. The answer to your question is your cry for help. 'Self-Image, right? Don't worry, the Joker is here to aid you.'' With that, Joker leaned in and kissed him lightly on the forehead, slapping his face lightly a few times while holding Eddie's chin with the other hand. Be a good lad, and run off, we'll talk later...''
Eddie looked at his alarm clock. Five in the morning, he felt so tired, but he had to go to work. He pulled on his clothes tiredly and walked out the door, hoping he did not fall asleep on the bus again.
Eddie stopped himself from nodding off only with great effort. He straightened in his small chair and tried to focus on the contents of his faded computer screen. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he added lines for the crossword puzzle he was writing. Eleven across, three down. Eddie wrote the questions and answers without even really thinking about them. The papers he wrote for paid a small sum for each one, but he had to write so many in order to make decent pay that he was often lost in the monotony of it. The flourescent ceiling light above him flickered, reminding him of the decaying nature of the small office afforded him by 'Mind Games, inc.' a dying company dedicated to creating crossword puzzle books and sodouku games. Eddie sighed and went to the small lavatory down the hall, splashing water on his face and looking at his reflection in the mirror. Dark circles accented eyes haggard with lack of sleep. Why was it so hard to get a good night's rest lately? Eddie's mind once more drifted to events past...
''Eddie boy, looking chipper there.''
Eddie jumped, turning so fast he nearly tripped to see the Joker regarding him from across the hall, his arms folded as he leaned into the wall. The Joker chuckled when he observed Eddie's startled look. ''We have no more buisness, Joker, leave me be or I will yell for the guard.''
The Joker chuckled again, ''Just come back from your chess game, eh? A little more 'positive' reinforcement for our little Nygma drone.''
Eddie's scowled at Joker, ''I am merely refreshed after a battle of mental prowess. You would know nothing of it.''
Joker threw his head back and laughed, ''Battle? You have forgotten how to fight, Nygma...''
Eddie stepped forward menacingly, a dark look crossing his features, ''Stop calling me that, my name is Eddie Nashton. I'm through with your tired mind games, Batman has become a friend of mine, I have only ever rivaled him because I admired his intelligence, a far cry above your own.''
The smile slid from Joker's face, his arms unfolding as he walked toward Eddie, who gulped and took a step back, wondering if he had just made a fatal mistake. Joker stopped a hands breath in front of Eddie, his glowering eyes sending chills down Eddie's spine. ''What happened to the Nygma I once read about? Who broke into a museum and bypassed every bit of security it had to offer, stood before a diamond the size of a fist, then walked away, because it was too easy?''
Eddie stammered, ''H-how did you know that was...?''
Joker smiled at his face, ''I'm not as stupid as you seem to think I am. In fact, I see the trap Batman has placed around you, the one you don't see from the inside. He has carefully wrapped you in a cage built of you, he has beaten you, turned your own mind against itself.''
A loud voice called from down the hall, ''Hey! What are you two birds doing there? Move along.'' The large officer glared at them, hands on his hips.
Joker leaned in before turning to leave, ''Maybe the Riddler is dead, finally proven intellectually inferior to the Batman.''
Eddie shook his head to clear it, brushing his short brown hair back. ''C'mon Edward, get it together,'' he told his reflection.
Later that evening Eddie sat on his bed, his head in his hands as he studied the papers on the wall accross from him. Gibberish. It was nothing. Maybe the Joker was right, maybe Eddie was sick in the head as well. Eddie rose and began tearing the papers down in anger, part of him wondering what had ever compelled him to hang up such mad scratchings. Then he saw it. As the papers fell upon one another he saw the pattern, the curve of the numbers. Eddie tore the rest of the pages from the wall, frantically assembling them on the floor into a growing image, the numbers all lining up in the patteren to make one large picture. Edward Nygma smiled.
The batmobile raced along the mountain road outside of Arkam Asylum. There had been a large explosion, an entire side of the compound had been turned to rubble. The inmates had wasted no time, fleeing on foot in every direction down the mountain and into the surrounding woods. Batman's gloves creaked as he gripped the wheel, his teeth gritted in frustration. Never had one person created so much work for him in one night. His thoughts were still on his plans to collect the escapees when his wheel locked rigid in his hands. Batman flipped several emergency power switches to no effect, then his attention was caught by his view-screen, which slowly scrolled words across it's face. Batman read them aloud to himself, ''I suggest you exit your machine now.'' Batman looked ahead; a guard rail ahead signaled a drop off of the mountain, and he was steered right into it. Batman checked the door, unlike the other mechanisms, this one wasn't locked down. With a powerful leap, he flew from the car to roll upon the rocky ground outside as the batmobile struck the rail then plunged over the cliff face. Batman stared at the broken railing as he thought to himself. Someone had gotten access to codes to override the car. He whirled around, headed back toward the asylum to procure a vehicle.
The warehouse door opened. It had been unlocked. Batman stepped inside, scanning his surroundings. Steel shelving had been moved, fitted with extra panels and bolted to the floor to create a metal labyrith in what Batman knew to be a square mile of warehouse. Dim lights hung from the ceiling to provide dim illumination. ''Eddie, if you come out now, it will be easier for you.''
A voice over a hidden loudspeaker responded, ''Easier on you, perhaps. And it's Edward. I see you have deciphered my clues to reach this pivotal point in our game, I am pleased.''
Batman studied the shelves, pushing on one to test it as he spoke, ''The giant question mark in your room was rather obvious, and you made the riddles leading me here easy. You still want to be caught, so why don't you lessen your punishment and step out where I can see you?''
The voice returned again and Batman noted it's direction, ''All those numbers and faces, you still don't know what your missing. Come and get me if you think you can.''
Batman grunted as he continued through the maze, ears perked for any possible springing traps. He came across a long hallway with a yellow glimmer at the end of it. When he drew close enough to see that it was a duck crossing road sign leaning against the far wall he leapt to the floor, narrowly avoiding the sything blades as they passed over his head. The floor in the next area opened up to a show a huge series of panels, each numbered. A number puzzle. Batman quickly deciphered where he would need to step, but upon treading on the first number, his boot crashed through, and he rolled back to avoid falling into a deep pit filled with spikes. He stood, growling to himself. It seemed the numbers were where he was not supposed to step. He had to leap across to continue the puzzle, sighing in relief when his chosen numbers did not cause another section to collapse. He placed his grappling hook back into his utility belt. Might need that later.
The Riddler twined his fingers together, rocking back and forth in excitement as he watched Batman's progress. Such a worthy foe! Already he slid into the correct tunnel to avoid the water chamber. He reacted to each puzzle quickly and intelligently, he was amazing! Edward watched the view screen set in the security console in front of him eagerly, then jumped up in a fit of rage when he saw Batman swing over the fire trap on his grappling line. ''Arg! You're supposed to set the stones you found in the previous room in those braziers in the correct order to quench the flames, you, you...cheater! Now the stones are pointless!'' You turned on the p.a. again and spoke angrily into it, ''Now, now, Batman, rush like that and you might make a fatal mistake.'' Batman did not reply, just cocked his head as if listening intently then continued to move on. The Riddler fumed at being ignored, but sat back down, content in watching Batman face his last few challenges, the hardest ones yet. He leaned forward in happy anticipation when he saw Batman unhook a batarang from his belt and turn to observe the room. What is he...? With a quick motion of his powerful arm, he let the small bladed weapon fly, and Edward watched in horror as his screens began to go black one after the other. He jammed his finger into the intercom button to yell a curse but realized Batman had destroyed the speakers as well. ''Damn you!''
Batman looked around. No more traps. Only a single door, seemingly the end of the maze. Batman prepared a pair of hand-cuffs, hanging them loosely from his belt. He pushed the door open to see a security office behind it, the blank screens illuminating the Riddler standing with his back to Batman. No sooner had Batman stepped into the room than a second steel door slid into place behind him, sealing him inside, and the Riddler began to laugh.
The Joker turned to regard Batman, throwing his Riddler costume hat on a nearby chair, ''Hows it going, chum?'' The slender lunatic reached out and depressed a button beside him on the console. ''I hope you enjoy my new gas, I made this one just for you! Won't have much effect on me, but as you can see, I'm already high on life, whoo!'' The Joker began to laugh manically as a thick green gas sprayed from overhead vents into the small room. His face fell as Batman calmly reached into his belt and placed a sleek black gas mask over his face. ''...oh.''
Batman smashed the Joker into the screens, slamming his fists into the man even as the Joker screamed out hilarious laughter. After hitting him until he could hardly stand, Batman picked him up by his shirt collar and marvelled at how the Joker continued to laugh even as he choked on his own blood. ''Y'know, bats, the Riddler got you on this one, he's long gone and all you have to show for it is the same jack-in-the-box you had before, hee-hee.''
The door behind them slid open, and Batman slapped the handcuffs on Joker, binding him to the panel as he replied, ''Wrong. I destroyed his cameras.'' Edward's eyes bulged as the door cleared and he saw Batman still alive, the Joker beaten and bloody leaning against the console. Before his legs could even begin to run Batman lunged the short distance between them and put him arm into a bar, driving him into the floor hard.
''Ow! ow! No need to be so rough! I-I'll go quietly!'' Edward's face broke into a sweat as he watched the Batman's eyes and saw the unrestrained fury there.
''The time for that is past.'' Batman held Edward's arm braced against a leg that he planted sqaurely between the squirming riddler's shoulders. With his other hand he reached around to the back of his utility belt and pulled out a long slender paddle.
Edward's eyes bulged even wider, his mouth dropping open in shock, ''Y-you can't be serious! Let's talk about this! I had a relapse! I'm sorry!''
Batman's eyes narrowed as he placed the paddle down in front of Edward's prone face and began ripping his pants down to his knees, the Riddler cringing as the cold air brushed his bared cheeks. He eyed the paddle in front of him, memory of his previous spankings flooding him as his hands jerked back to cover his ass in terror. He craned his head back to look at Batman, his eyes full of fear as he pleaded, ''Please, Batman, this was a hiccup in my recovery, if you must punish me, at least make it short, I wish to try again.'' Batman simply looked back at him. With that mask, he didn't look human, like a devil come to exact cruel punishments for all of Edward's wrongs.
Batman reached down and took the paddle, ''No. This is going to hurt.'' Without any further warning Batman began to strike Edward's exposed rear powerfully, each blow causing the riddler to rock forward.
''Ow! Ahh! Oh my god, that hurts! Please, no, no!''
Batman ignored him, stopping only to remove his mask then continueing to beat Edward, his vicious strikes leaving red trails across the riddler's cheeks.
''P-please! At least tell me how many more you are going to administer?!''
Batman glanced at him but did not slow, ''I'm going to hit you until my arm gets tired, then I'm going to use the other arm.''
Edward gasped in abject horror as he craned his head back to watch those powerful arms at work. That would take forever! ''Oh, please no! You are being unfair!'' Tears began to form in Edward's eyes as he contemplated a lengthy spanking of such power.
Batman opened his mouth to respond but a peal of laughter from behind them cut him off, ''Oh-ho! Little Eddie is getting the whuppin of his life! Papa bat isn't gonna let up on you today!''
Edward's tears flowed now, spurned by the pain of the paddle's repeated lash, true, but more from shame at hearing the Joker jeer his humiliating punishment. He gritted his teeth against the feeling as he flushed red in shame. Batman stopped the lashing suddenly, grabbing Edward's elbow and levering him up to standing. ''Y-you are switching arms now?''
Batman sat himself on a nearby shelf and threw Edward over his knee roughly, ''No. I'm just adjusting so I can hit you better.''
Edward squeeled in fear which sent the Joker into a riotous fit of laughter. Batman began the smack Edward's ass again and he hissed at the pain of being struck after a break, ''P-please, let us continue somewhere where that lunatic can't mock me, if you have any mercy at all, grant me this request!''
''No.''
Edward clenched his eyes shut and began to cry out against the pain and the laughs, his shouts turning into sobs after a few swings. And still Batman used the same arm. ''I-I can take no more! I will die!''
''You will live to regret.''
''I already regret! Please! Waaaah! I will do anything you want to prove it!'' Edward kicked as the pain became too great, and Batman shifted to throw one muscled leg over his to pin him in place. Edward's ass gave off a heated red glow, every strike causing the cheeks to quiver in pain.
''Too late for that. I tried to reason with you. Now you are the same as all the others, you will learn this way.''
''What way is that?! Please tell me, oh god!'' Edward's voice grew hoarse from his cries, and even though he tried, he could not stop from yelling out on each swat, the Joker's continued laughter adding to his misery.
''It's simple, you do things like this, and I will beat you. Severely.'' The Batman's face was inscrutible behind his mask, and this only increased Edward's fear.
''I have had my lesson, I swear I will never do this again!'' Oh god, he still hasn't slackened, this arm will never tire, and there is still the other!
''After I beat you, we shall see.'' Batman continued to swing, a rythmic syphony of Edward's pain echoing across the warehouse. The only other sound the Joker's continued wails of laughter. When they returned to Arkam, the Joker would surely tell the others what had happened here. Edwards face burned with shame and he began to cry and sob anew.
The pain became too great, and Edward pulled out the only card he had left, he had been hoping to use this later so badly, but he would do anything to be free of this pain, ''I-I will make you a deal, you let me go now, and I won't tell anyone that you are Br- mmph!'' His eyes widened as Batman clamped a gloved hand over his mouth.
''I know you know. I went back to my cave and found out you had tampered with my machines. You are very intelligent Edward, but you lack wisdom in threatening me. The reason you won't tell anyone is simple. Fear.'' Batman took his hand away from Edward's mouth and he choked as the slaps on his backside became harder. Batman was right, Edward had always been afraid of him, but now he knew just how merciless the bat could be, and he shuddered thinking what Batman might do to him if he told everyone his secret. Edward's body convulsed and twitched as the pain became so great his thoughts became cloudy. ''P-please, ah-whaaah!''
A menacing voice drifted to them from the room behind them, ''Awww, is the widdle widdler whining? Wha hahahahaahah!!''
Edward gasped as he tried to cough back his screams, but he invariably failed as Batman continued his tireless beating, his whole body flushed as red as his cheeks from the pain the shame and the shock. His body shuddered violently both from the spanking and his sobs. ''I have never been so humiliated, I am a changed man, please release me, I am done...''
''No. You didn't consider those you killed when you planted explosives at Arkam, did you? Why should I consider how you feel now?''
''People died? I told those dolts to plant them away from everyone, I swear! Please! I didn't know!'' Edward twisted back as he pleaded, looking into his tormentor's eyes.
''You are too smart not to know that explosives can hurt people, you ordered your goons to do it, the responsibilty also rests on your shoulders.''
Edward began to sob in ernest again. He was right. Guilt corded tightly in his chest. He deserved this.
The Joker stopped laughing long enough to shout out, ''Aww, c'mon widdle widdler, you gonna cry now? They were just a few eggs, you gotta break eggs to have a food fight, right? ...or something like that, hahah!''
Edward ignored Joker, continueing to cry, whimpering with each swing, his legs twiching in pain.
The spanking suddenly stopped and Edward looked back in surprise, ''You aren't like him, Edward, but you were getting closer tonight. That's why it's time for you to learn why you should fear your actions.''
''Y-you are going to stop?'' Tear tracks ran jagged paths down his hopeful face, drying now that he had no more tears left to cry out. His ass still spasmed from the recent trauma, his cheeks covered in welts.
''No. I'm switching hands now.'' The implication of that statement caused Edward's bottom lip to tremble in misery, and he found he still had tears to cry.
''P-please, have mercy...'' Batman began swatting him again, causing him to jerk in renewed and amplified pain, and the Joker's laughter began again, louder than before.
''When he's done with you, widdler, your gonna have the flattest ass in Arkam! You'll try to sit on a chair, and just slip off! You won't have to look around for a chessboard again, you can just use your ass! Wah hahaahahaha!!'' Edward could imagine Joker was rolling around on the floor laughing at him now, and he lowered his head in shame.
Sweat ran down his body in rivulets as Batman continued his unrelenting assualt, and he bit his lip and his body rocked in the throes of pain. Batman still slapped both cheeks evenly, and no matter how he twisted, he couldn't keep the bat from hitting the same tender areas. Edward wished that this over more than he had ever wished for anything in his life. But he knew that Batman had only just now switched hands, and Edward whimpered as he thought of how long that other arm had taken. Edward craned back to look as best he could against the pain, and saw that Batman was using he right hand. ''P-please tell me you are s-southpaw?''
''I'm right handed.''
Edward's mouth puckered in agony as his tearful eyes gazed miserably at Batman. ''P-please...''
''No.''
''Whhaaaa!''
''Bwahahahaha!!''
Edward cried out with each swing as his body jarred with impact, his already red cheeks turner darker shades of crimson. He truly regretted everything, he had let the Joker convince him that Batman had deceived him. He had let a maniac tell him that someone like the bat was a user. He felt more a fool than the painted man whose laughter echoed through the warehouse. And guilt. He had killed innocent staff and inmates with that bomb. He had not truly been well, he should have never told that board he was, it was a selfish act that had led to his own ruin and the loss of unknown lives now that he had set an asylum of homicidal lunatics free. They lurked out there, now, hiding and plotting things that would in turn be Edward's fault. He deserved to suffer.
The whipping continued, but Edward gave no more cries of protest, the only sounds he made being yelps of pain as Batman swatted him, with an occasional whimper of anticipation as Batman drew the paddle back for another whack. The Joker still laughed, reminding Edward that everyone back at the asylum would be hearing of this. This thought still caused him to blush in embarassment. Batman spoke, breaking the already pain-fractured train of his thought, ''You still want me to stop?''
Edward bit his tongue, fighting his natural response even as his body continued to jerk from each swat. ''No.'' Once he had said it, Edward felt some of his guilt recede, and his conviction solidified. The Batman knew what he needed, and he would suffer his punishment until it was done.
Batman stopped hitting him and rose, dropping Edward unceremoniously on the floor. Edward winced as his sore cheeks touched the relatively freezing concrete floor. He glanced up in surprise, his mouth hanging open in his astonishment. It had not yet been as long as the other arm's beating, he was sure. ''We are done, for now. It will be worse the next time.'' The cold look in those stony eyes froze Edward's heart as he tried to wrap his imagination around what could be worse.
Batman handcuffed Edward and went into the back room to retrieve the Joker, pushing the latter out roughly, the Joker grunting as he slammed into the shelf Edward stood in front of. ''Ooh, widdler, your pants are still around your ankles, 'widdler' has more than one meaning I see! Hahah!'' Edward blushed, reaching down to pull his pants up as best he could in cuffs. ''Don't get too worked up, Nygma, at least you got to have some fun this way! Heheh.'' Joker threw him a wide grin.
Edward shot forward, headbutting Joker in the face, and the Joker wheeled back sputtering blood, his face a mask of surprise.
''I told you, my name is Eddie Nashton.''