It had been a week since I had arrived at the Academy and from the moment I had arrived I had had to sleep in a hall with thirty other students while they 'Readied our rooms'. No offence but I didn't need fancy I just needed a proper bed away from Jack who kept trying to sneak into my sleeping bag or get close to me. I remember one night he had seen me wake up from a nightmare of being beaten by Father. "Are you okay?" He had run his hand across my cheek and I felt both shame and embarrassment run through me. I didn't show weakness in front of others. Especially guys who could use it to their advantage.

"Back off before claw off your face." I had snarled before going back to sleep.

On the seventh night of being there they had finally given us our rooms… thank god I thought I was going to have to share the large hall with everybody else for another night!

The next day I found my thoughts running wild as I sat in the main living room of our dorm space. It was such a strange school. If you looked at it from the outside you would think it is just another pompous rich school. If you looked inside… well other than it being a pompous rich school it was probably the most advanced and dangerous student school I had ever been to.

The room was quite massive, as big as my room back in the mansion had been. It connected to three bedrooms. There were two beds in two of the rooms while the last one seemed to only have one. "So who do we decide bunks with who." Jack had asked.

"Well. I know who I'm going to be bunking with." Rose swayed her hair ands started walking over to me while Jack was moving closer and closer.

"End room is mine." I growled before tossing my suitcase in there and slamming the door behind me as I had gone in. I couldn't help but grin when I heard Rose begin shouting at Jack. Not exactly Titanic couple are they? I laughed in my mind.

I guess it seemed that the school could afford to give their students luxuries such as great rooms like these… it took me a while to realise that this room was exactly the same as mine at home back in Wayne manor. The only difference was that there was also a connecting bathroom.

I soon changed out of my sports clothes I hadn't been able to get out of and noticed a schedule on my bed waiting for me. "Oh for gods sake." I muttered as I began to look over it but soon became just as interested if not excited with what I saw.

08:55- 10:30; Theatre & workshop.

10:50- 12:50; Advanced combat & Gymnastics.

13:50- 14:50; English.

15:00- 16:00; Computer Tech.

I grinned brilliantly at my daily schedule. "Oh Bruce. This is the best thing you have ever done for me!" I began to cackle hysterically and I could feel the others in the next room become silent as a dark anticipation spread through them.

I eventually came out into the main dorm room and saw most of them were sitting on the couch watching the plasma TV. I love this school. I thought with a grin but a dark smile threatened to break through my face when I saw Jack land his eyes on me before he blushed brightly.

I was wearing black skinny jeans with a dark green tight shirt and black leather jacket while also wearing the necklace my mother had once given me when I was young. It was a golden and emerald cat necklace which she had 'Acquired'. I guess I knew how she got it now. "Where are Rose and the other two?"

"Well I don't know about Rachel and the mysterious Bane girl. But Rose is just waiting for class to begin." The air soon became tense. "It's just us. They said they wouldn't be back for a while."

"Nope. It's just you." I snapped at his stupid and oh so cliché line. "I guess you will be just have to use this time to time alone. Maybe it will even give you a chance to relieve all that tension you're carrying."

"Huh?!" he stared at me as though I had just done the most surprising thing in the world.

"I got have got workshop anyway and so have you!"

"Aw come on kitty."

"Don't call me that." I hissed at him my hand threateningly going to the whip I kept in my belt but I just shook my head and strode out the door, "See you in class." I muttered and began walking down the corridor.

I had found out that there were not that many students at this place anyway. They only took in those with the most potential and the best parentage. How had I not known about my mother?

It doesn't matter. She had been grooming me for this all along. Now I just had to make her proud.

Now… I had seen some theatres in my life. Bruce had insisted bringing us to his rich boy opera's which he insisted on watching while he used the time to make out with a less than enthusiastic, bored person of my mother.

But Arkham's theatre was massive. It was like being on Broadway!

But before I got the chance for theatre I would have to do the workshop like most other students who were now all behind the stage while a man stood up front with a clipboard in hand watching each of us. "I am the Drama teacher. You probably know me best as Clay Face." I watched as Jack walked in and his eyes widened looking at the man. "This is placement. We prepare you for future crimes you are about to commit and ready each of you to take over your parent's companies. But it seems with the last Generation that could only be accomplished while wearing a costume." He sighed and looked at the faces of the new students which all grinned with Anticipation. "So you will each find a box with your parent's old costumes in. Try them on, come out to face us all and state who you are before you go and make your own adjustments to the out fit.

It was completely typical. Leave me till last. I wanted to claw that coach's eyes out… that being if he didn't crush me first. "Daniel." He coughed and I began walking behind the stage seeing some kids whisper. They wanted a show? I would give one they wouldn't forget.

Behind the main stage was line after line of make up stations and costume racks. It was like something out of an American 1960's movie! I soon noticed my name printed above a red velvet curtain and soon stepped behind it, making sure I had closed it tight to avoid prying eyes.

I soon opened the old crate and pulled out a long leather tight outfit. "Oh my god." I stared at it horrified and immediately snapped away the heels on the bottom of the black boots. "Jack is going to have a field day seeing me in this."

"Why am I?"

I felt myself pale as I heard his voice outside my changing room. "Look. I am not coming out in this!" I snarled as I began pulling on the outfit, finding that it fitted perfectly to me. The added claws on the gloves made me grin as I flexed my fingers looking at the perfect golden nails. Although. I feel so much yummier in this… oh god… I'm turning into mother.

I peeked my head out still making sure he could see nothing other than my face. "I am not. Ever. EVER. Coming out dressed in this-" I stopped short as my eyes rested on him. He wore a fancy purple and green suit without the jacket but with waist coat instead. Oh my god. He is… He is… Perrrrfect.

"Oh come on Daniel. It can't be that bad."

"Be it on your own head."

I pulled the mask up over my head and looked as the cat face mask covered most of my head except for my mouth. As soon as I stepped out I saw Jack slowly turn red going brighter and brighter till he was as red as a tomato. "You look. You look."

"So yummy." The words slipped out my moth and horror ran through me before a shot of confidence blasted through my body.

"That would be your inheritance from your mother." He grinned.

"Do you really want to be thinking about my mother when I'm dressed up in this?" I began to walk behind the main curtain of the stage and he took his seat in the audience as I walked out most people's mouths dropped when they saw me and the costume which I was wearing. Even coach stared at me as he began to draw the links to who my villain parent was. "My name is Daniel Kyle and-"

"You are smoking hot!" a boy wolf whistled which got the whole students to start laughing… well except for those who were bunking with me because after finding me at three in the morning practicing in my room, they knew not to piss me off.

"Shut it!"

"I'm just saying he looks hot. Leather fetish." My eyes locked onto the boy as he laughed and I instantly took in his features. He had a bridged, beak like nose. His eyes were dark and he wore a suit and umbrella with a top hat.

"Shut it bird boy!" Jack growled.

"Why should I? Have you already got claims on kitty?" at the way he was sat it would mean I would end up hurting the people next to him who were glaring at him annoyed. Most of the students stared at me and laughed though. "Oh so you have!" He stood up and pointed at Jack. Wrong move bird boy.

My whip sailed out before even coach could stop it and the end wrapped around the boy's neck tightly as I pulled on it and leapt over to him grabbing his shoulders and pinning him down into the chair as I acted as though I was a feather on water. "How about I pluck your feathers?" I snarled as my claws got nearer his face and his eyes widened while the whip around his neck tightened.

"COACH! STOP HIM! HELP!"

"Enough Daniel." Jack reached out to grab my arm but the glare in my eyes made him flinch away.

"I spent five years being mocked." I gently laid the sharp of the claws on his face and lightly dragged down leaving pale lines where the edges scratched his skin. "Don't push me bird. Next time. I take your throat out and by the time you even know you're dead you will be in the afterlife. Understand!?" His eyes widened even more and he nodded his head frantically while I climbed off him and headed back behind stage as the coach ordered us to go and make our adjustments to the costumes.

Jack came up to me and grabbed my arm as I began and ripping away parts of the mask and costume and grabbing more material. "What happened out there?"

"Oh, the big strong Hero comes to save his prize. I heard you the other night. Talking to Rose, telling her you would make me your prize item."

"Oh just give it up Jack."

I turned around and saw her standing there. She was wearing a one torso piece of tight green silk while also wearing dark gloves and heels. She was breath taking… probably and mostly in the fact that she could easily kill you like a poisonous vapour. "Come on Danny. I'll help you with your costume." She glared at Jack before pushing him away and beginning to stitch the material together.

It took us about half an hour but it was worth it. I pulled on the cat like costume. "You are one big bad cat." She grinned as I turned around and examined it in the mirror. The mask fell perfectly over my face and strangely enough I noticed that my sharp pupil had dilated almost looking exactly like a cats. "So this is what I was born to be? A shadow of the claw which my mother brought to people?" In a lot of ways it was like my mothers original costume and since she was the inspiration for it, I didn't want to stray to far from the original make. "Ooh I like that. Shadow Claw." Rose mused before rapping her arms around my shoulders.

The dark leather was completely black though in some places it looked tainted purple. "Night Claw." I nodded looking at the dark person who stood as my reflection. The leather fitted perfectly and smoothly to my skin and the tail added perfect more effect as it moved with ease. Looks like I had got more than even my mother had.

The signature weapon of a whip was clamped onto my belt and I flexed my claws tapping along the glass as I drew a smiley face. "Just needs a few things added." I began to pull a long strip of black fur material and started styling it into a trailing cloak. I pulled it around myself and connected the edges of the cloak around my wrist so that the cloth moved with my reactions. It was as soft as satin and made the dark look complete, even Rose blushed slightly at the sight.

Everything was now perfect. The clawed boots were perfect as the metal claws moved with the reactions of my toes and the lenses of the mask seemed to move just when I wanted them to. The golden hand claws worked just as greatly as they easily tore through large chunks of metal.

"Perrrfect." I purred and watched as Rose lent her head on my shoulder with pouting lips. "You already was perfect my little flower." She grinned and I turned pulling my hands around her waist.

"Hmm so, what was that about your lips being venomous to whom you wanted?"

"Come find out." She stood up on her tip toes and began to lean in for a kiss. It was only when she screamed that I stepped back quickly before she had the chance to make contact.

She ripped the knife out and crushed the pathetic metal in her hands before looking towards where it had come from. "You bastard!" she snarled.

"No one. I mean. No one. Touches those lips. But me."

"Oh for Christ sake." I muttered and looked over to see Jack flipping knifes in his hand with a dark glare fixed on Rose.

"When you children have finished your tantrums. I'll be in theatre." But each of them just kept glaring even darker blood soaked stares at each other.

Great… Only one way to distract them. Can't believe this! I snarled in my head as I pulled the costume of and folded to it into a box which was to be carried back to my room. For a moment both their eyes rested on my bare body as though hypnotised. All they got to see was me from the back but still they were like dogs waiting for a treat. "You idiots!" I growled and they snapped back to their sense as I pulled some clothes on. "Get over the fact that I would date neither of you! Get over yourselves." I growled and walked away.

I didn't know it but that would be the last time I would see either of them for a long time.