Joker: Chapter 8

"Shttuuuu Shtuuuu Shtuuuuu Sht Sht Shtuuuuu!" Joker whistled to himself as he passed under the dusty stone doorway. The door had been ripped off years ago from the looks of it, how long ago he could not say. It appeared to be a bakery, when it was inhabited. Joker saw the large hearths on the far end of the room gathering dust. There were shelves beside them to store the bread when it had been finished. Most of them were broken, or riddled with mold. My mother was a baker, I always did love the smell of bread when I awoke each morning. Or wait, was my mother the baker, or my grandmother? Perhaps my aunt, or a cousin. Actually, was that truly the smell of bread I loved, or was that just the smell of her body when I skewered her and roasted her over a spit… Agh how time fogs the mind and its memories.

Joker refrained from whistling as he silently continued up the steps. He looked down to the floor and smiled as he saw the path of footprints laid out before him. Like a shadowcat hunting a rabbit. He went up through the stone building rather quickly, it was only three floors. He burst through the door with a loud cry. "Oh sweetling I'm home! Hahaha!"

Edward Nigma turned with eyes as wide and white as Joker's face. "Y-You aren't supposed to be here!" He feebly tried to reason.

Joker chuckled, "Ha! My father said the same thing when I found him with a street whore on my fifteenth name day. My friends said that since I was finally a man grown it was time to become a true man. Little did I know my father had beaten me to the punch so to speak, Haha! So you're this man full of puzzles I've heard so much about, this little riddler."

The man stood frozen in terror. "I mark you as the type of man that doesn't like bumps in his perfect little plans Hehe," Joker taunted.

Edward said nothing, only continued standing with his mouth gaped open. "How did you know I would be here?"

"HAHAHAHA! Oh please, Edward. From what I've heard you love to prove how big that brain of yours is. This is your master plan is it not? Have some sellswords dress up as if they were my men, kidnap the Stark girl knowing Batman would be not too far behind, leave a trail of tasty little crumbs to this shack, and burn it, trapping him like a rat in a cage. It's really quite brilliant, the only reason I don't crack open your skull and see how big that brain of yours truly is. Ha! I do love a good joke such as this. Usually, I love nothing but unraveling little plans such as yours Eddy, but now I find myself almost appreciating the lengths you are going to test him."

Edward frowned, "I'm not testing him you mad fool. I'm going to catch him."

Joker smiled widely and quickly drew a knife to Edward's neck. "Careful Eddy, while I do find you humorous, your life still hangs solely in my hands. Where is she?"

Joker stepped back and slipped the knife back up his sleeve. Edward righted himself and straightened his tunic. "My apologies. On a rooftop directly across from us, I wouldn't dare let her see me or I would be arrested with the foolish thugs. They don't even know who paid them, only the target I gave them. So why not kill me? If you enjoy destroying plans so fiercely?"

"Hahaha, oh Edward, there will be no need. As I just said, this is merely a test to him. You're smart, I'll give you that, but you are only one piece of the puzzle. You can test his mind, his strategies, how he plans and thinks, but you are not enough to take him and bring him to his knees. Just as Deathstroke was a capable fighter, able to test the Bat's fighting prowess, but ultimately he failed."

Edward chuckled, "You saw to that."

"Ha! Yes I did Eddy, and don't you forget that. But as I was saying, you are like a whetstone to his mind. You keep it nice and sharp so that he's at his best. No, no Eddy, so long as you don't breach too far into my territory, I'll let you live."

The man in the dark green overcoat with bright orange hair bowed. "Most gracious of you, ser. That is the sorry thing about the kingdom this day isn't it? How everyone seeks riches and glory, I merely seek to beat any who intellectually are worthy of the challenge. The state of the world is so…so…hmmmm" Edward raised his fingers to his chin to think.

After a few moments of silence Joker grew impatient. "Yes?"

Edward's face lit up with excitement, the light from the fire below illuminating his face. "I will explain it to you as this, Joker. I can be cracked, I can be made, I can be told, I can be played, you may laugh, but that's my aim, what am I?"

Joker thought a moment before finally realizing the answer to the man's puzzle and burst into uncontainable laughter. "HAHAHAHA! Oh my dear Edward that is simply brilliant, and the homage is noted as well. A joke, hehehe, ohh you are too much, ser. You will live to plan another day, I cannot wait to see what your next failed attempt to catch ole' Bats will be. Have a good evening, Nigma."

With that Joker turned to retreat back inside. I get credit for malicious deeds I haven't even committed! How delicious! Joker was deterred from his thoughts as he heard a queer sound amongst the cheering from the smallfolk below. Joker turned back to see Edward gazing up into the sky. Joker gazed up and began laughing. Now that is a truly ironic joke.

Bruce: Chapter 23

Bruce waited a dozen or so minutes until the fire had begun to subside. He pulled his cape down and peered out at the room outside the firepit he was hiding in. The outer walls were still afire, the floorboards were charred black but for the most part intact, while the inner walls were untouched. Thick, black smoke made the far side of the room barely visible, anything beyond it lay hidden behind its ashy cover. Bruce lay flat and crawled to the next room,, remaining beneath the ceiling of smoke. When he reached the rear half of the room he heard the door broken in with a loud smash. He heard the sound of metal armor clinking against itself as soldiers began entering the burning building. Lannisters.

"Alright men, spread out and find him, he's in here somewhere!" He heard called out. Bruce crawled to the right and hid in the shadows beneath the stairway. He could hear the sound of water splashing against the wooden walls of the inn over the crackling of the fire. They meant to lure me here, trap me, and then douse the fire so they could enter and catch me. Bruce winced in pain from his shoulder and ankle, and disappointment in himself for jumping straight into their trap. I should've thought, stepped back and planned. Joker would never be so careless.

Two of the soldiers stepped in front of Bruce, unable to see him through the smoke and shadows. Bruce stepped forward, wrapping a hand around each of their mouths and pulling them back into the shadows. They writhed and twisted but couldn't outmatch Bruce's strength. Within half a minute their lungs had exhausted their already short supply of air and they slipped into unconsciousness. Bruce slowly let their bodies slump to the ground as quietly as he could. One of their arms fell from the shadows into the light, and another of the soldiers took notice. "He's over here!"

A crossbow bolt punctured through the wooden step six inches above Bruce's head. Bruce dove from his hiding spot into the room across and was greeted with a flurry of crossbows shooting past him. One deflected off his shoulder guard with a twang and another found its way into Bruce's calf. Bruce's landed flat on the floor, but managed to right himself to his feet. The bolt pierced straight through his leg, the arrow head jutting out from the skin while the tail end remained visible on the opposite side. He limped to the next room, hearing the sound of armored feet slowly surround him. Bruce closed his eyes, quieted his mind, and listened above the crackling fire and sound of the crowd outside. Two pairs of feet from the left, three from the right.

Bruce reached behind him to count what supplies he had. He had left with such urgency that he had forgotten to restock his armaments. Three knives, one smoke bomb, and…Bruce's fingers touched the small metal cylinder. I suppose now is the time to test it.

His hand withdrew with the small pipe, he raised it to his lips, and blew. If it doesn't work, I'm as good as dead. Bruce blew the small whistle once more before returning it to his belt. Now he took the three knives and prepared his assault. The footsteps were close now, both nearly around their respective corners, they'd discover him soon. Bruce crept as quietly and painlessly as he could to the edge of the hall, waiting for the footsteps to grow closer. He looked to the floor and held fast, until he saw the first crimson boot step into sight. He wheeled around the corner taking the first man by the neck and rolling, smashing his head through the weak wooden floor beneath them. Bruce stood in time to grab the other man's hand before he could raise his crossbow. A quick elbow to the jaw was enough to subdue him. The other footsteps pounded closer until they burst into the room, crossbows all aimed at Bruce's head.

"Well look here boys, we caught ourselves a Batman," one of them chided with a grin. Bruce raised his hands into the air in forfeit. The man spoke again, "Resler, tie im' up."

Resler turned his head, "Fuck tha', I'm nah gettin' anywhere near em."

The leader scoffed and took a step towards Bruce. Bruce brought his hand down in a silent blur, letting his knives fly. Two of them found their target in the Lannister soldier's collars. They fell to the ground clutching where their shoulders and neck joined. The wounds would hurt, but wouldn't prove fatal. The last man laughed realizing the knife intended for him missed its target. His crossbow was still aimed for the center of Bruce's chest. The man stepped back into the entranceway to the room as his partners slowly succumbed to unconsciousness from their wounds and sudden loss of blood. "I was told to bring you back alive Batman, but I don't think Lord Tywin will lose a night of sleep should you come to him as a corpse." He raised his crossbow to his eyes and wryly smiled.

Don't have time to reach for a smoke bomb, too wounded to dodge... Before Bruce could think of a possible route of escaping the situation, one was provided for him. A large board of wood came smashing down upon the Lannister guard's head making him collapse to the ground. James Gordon turned the corner and coughed into his wrist. "Alright, let's get you out of here."

Bruce had not been so relieved to see a man since seeing Alfred for the first time in over a decade when he returned to Gotham. Gordon managed a small smile, "You look like shit."

"I've been told worse."

James hurried to where Bruce stood and took up his arm to relieve pressure from his pierced and injured leg. "Now how are we going to get you ou-"

The leader of the City Watch was interrupted by the sounds of screams outside. "What in the bloody hell is that?" Bruce tried his best to peer out a window. "Reinforcements."

He took a step forward, signaling Gordon to follow suit. They limped through the burning inn until they were at its front door. "Where's your horse?" Bruce asked.

"Uhh, tied to an old brothel directly in front of this place. Why? You're not fixing to take my horse from me are you?"

Bruce gasped in pain. "I'll return it."

James reached for the door handle, turned it, and opened. They were greeted with the screams of hundreds of city folk fleeing in a mass of chaos and terror. Diving in and about them, swirling overhead in a massive storm of beating wings, were thousands upon thousands of bats. They were a fluttering torrent in the skies and amongst the people, biting and clawing at smallfolk and armored guard alike. Gordon turned to Bruce in confusion.

"Keep your head down," was all Bruce told him as they made their way into the crowd. James grabbed a cloak that had been left on the street and flung it over himself to prevent the bats from reaching his bare skin. They made way through the panicking masses, every one of them too preoccupied with their winged assailants to notice the head of the City Watch assisting a branded criminal outlaw. They limped their way the fifty paces from the inn's door to Gordon's horse. It was rearing and whinnying in panic, trying its best to flee. James gently took it by the neck and stroked down its nose to calm it while Bruce mounted. James untied it from its post and looked up to Bruce. "What of the Stark girl?"

"I'll find her as soon as I treat my wounds. Thank you." Before James could respond Bruce took off and rode out through the crowd and on towards the city. He rode up through the abandoned city streets to the alley where he had left his horse. He found the site empty and was too wounded to search so he decided to continue his return home. As he continued on down the street the sea of bats slowly thinned until eventually it dwindled to only the occasional group of bats fluttering past.

Bruce continued riding and by the time he was passing from the Narrows to the region of the city nearest the ports he saw something that made his blood boil more so than it was already. He saw a bright yellow cape fluttering behind a boy's body dressed in a red leather vest and black hair blowing in the wind. Bruce spurred Gordon's horse on and prepared to shout until he saw the girl riding in front of Dick. He caught up to the boy, riding atop his horse, and waited for Dick to take notice of his presence. The boy immediately looked over his shoulder with a sense of dread. Bruce matched his horse's speed and growled at the boy, "I told you to stay."

Dick looked to Arya before returning to match gazes with Bruce. "If I had, she'd still be with those thugs. You're welcome."

What would Alfred say to him…Bruce managed a stern, but lighthearted, "Good work." The pair of horses and their riders continued on towards the hill that Wayne Castle stood upon, leaving behind a panicked crowd and a turbulent storm of bats.

Alfred: Chapter 18

"I'm sure they will be fine, my lady. Your father will use everything in his power to help find Arya. Ser Gordon of the City Watch as well, he and his men will search the city leaving no stone unturned," Alfred said comfortingly to the young girl crying in his arms.

She continued sobbing for a few more minutes before looking up. "And Batman? He'll surely help, won't he?"

Alfred smiled, "Lady Sansa, if I were you, I would not worry for Arya. Batman will not let any harm befall her. If I were you, I would worry for the Joker, when Batman finds him."

The Dornishman had slipped a drop of a modified mixture of sweetsleep into the tea the girl had drank but five minutes ago. Within a few minutes Sansa was peacefully lulling into sleep, her body going limp against Alfred's. He laid the girl to bed and drew the blankets up over her. He quietly closed the door before making his way for the cave with great haste. He opened the door to the study, pulled the book, climbed down the ladder, and marched down the cave walkway. As Alfred proceeded down the walkway, he heard a loud noise echoing down the hall from the cave. It sounded like waves from the salt sea crashing through the tunnels and pits of the cave. He was nearing the opening into the hollow hole in the earth when he saw it, a storm of thousands of bats whirling around the cave in a giant tsunami. Tens of thousands of little wings flapped, thousands of pairs of black little eyes glared about, and thousands of screeches echoed against the stone walls like the screams of damned souls coming for their offenders. It sounds like wailing, but to Bruce, it is surely music that even the heavens could not match.

The bats slowly fled through the two stone passageways out of the cave, drifting out in waves as if they truly were made of sea water. When the last of the bats finally found their way out of the cave, Alfred proceeded down the pathway and into the hollow cavern. Everything remained as it was, save for a few of Bruce's sparring mannequins laying on the floor. Alfred moved over to the smith's corner in time to see Lucius duck out from his hiding place beneath his desk. He smiled as he saw the Dornishman approaching. "Seems he used it."

"Used what precisely?"

Lucius laughed as he moved to right his mannequins to their proper place. "Bats, are one of the few beasts on earth that can hear at a, higher level, I suppose I should call it. They can hear sounds we cannot, sounds that are invisible to our ears. In my time in the hills of Norvos, I studied these creatures and came up with a way to summon them."

"Summon bats? How?" Yet another reason for Bruce to bring this man back with him.

"A whistle, such as hunters use with their hounds, only this one calls out for bats. So long as Bruce remains in the city, the bats dwelling in these caves will be within earshot of the whistle I forged for him."

"Astounding…" Was all Alfred could respond with. Lucius looked back and smiled, "Why thank you Alfred, it's always welcome for a craftsman's work to be appreciated."

After a few minutes of Alfred aiding Lucius in returning his working station to its former state, Lucius spoke, "The Stark girl…?"

"Joker's men have taken her."

Lucius showed a sudden look of concern, "You don't think…"

"I think nothing Lucius, only know, and what I know is that Bruce will find a way to save her and stop him. Just as he did with Tywin Lannister."

"And what happens when Bruce can't save the day, my friend? When he isn't enough?"

Alfred looked out at the cave, thinking over how but only a few months ago, only a lone man stood at its center. A man with such hopes and plans for the future that Alfred is surprised this cave could contain it all. "I would rather not think of that day. That is why he has the boy, Gordon, us, so that when the day comes that he should fail, he will not suffer it alone."

Lucius's smile returned to his face, "How about a drink?" The Summer Islander leaned under his desk and returned with two glasses and a bottle of Arbor gold. He poured each of them a drink and they sat, looking out to the cave. They sat and talked of favorite wines, women they had had in their beds over their lifetime, preferred methods of healing wounds, and other trifling matters to distract themselves, as they often did, when worried for Bruce and anticipating his return.

After nearly an hour, they finally heard the sound of hoof beats drumming against the stone of the cave floor. Within a few moments Bruce rode into the cave atop a chestnut colored mare. A few moments after that, Dick rode in on Bruce's stallion with a blindfolded Arya sharing the saddle. As Alfred stepped closer Bruce rose a finger to his lips silently ordering them to be quiet. At this closer distance, Alfred could see it was Dick's mask that was blinding Arya's vision, and that a crossbow bolt was piercing through Bruce's calf.

Bruce dismounted with a grunt and limped to Lucius who offered an arm and helped him over to his table. Dick stepped down from his mount before saying to the girl, "Alright, turn to face the sound of my voice."

Arya lifted her left leg and swung it over the horse's back to face Dick. He reached up and helped her to the ground. "How long do I need to wear this blindfold for?"

"As long as I say you need wear it," the boy responded with the maturity and determination in his tone of a man fully grown. "Who else is here with us? I hear their footsteps."

Before Dick could move, Arya raised her hands to her blindfold and tore it down. "Dick!? You're the one that saved me?"

Dick stood and stared in shock, before furrowing his brow. "I told you to keep it on! Why do you alw-"

Arya cut him off, "Alfred? Lucius!? Then that means…that you're…" She trailed off as she turned to look at Batman.

Bruce stood from his chair, glaring at the girl. Standing like that will frighten the soul out of the poor girl. Alfred turned back to Arya to see her staring wide eyed, terrified. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

Now Bruce interrupted, and limped forward to where the girl stood. She held her ground, not shrinking away from the masked man. Her eyes however, showed her fear plainly. Bruce knelt down to face her eye to eye, grimacing in pain from his wounded leg. He reached up and removed his helmet so he could look on the girl as Bruce Wayne, not Batman. "You will tell no one."

Arya nodded in equal measures understanding, and fear. "Yes, my lord."

Bruce slowly nodded before returning to Lucius and letting the Summer Islander disarmor him. Alfred took the reins of the horses and led them to the stable. When he returned, Arya was sitting in a chair with a blanket draped over her shoulders. Dick was disrobing his boiled leather vest behind his large oak wardrobe as to remain hidden from the girl while nearly nude. Alfred stepped over to the girl and knelt, taking two fingers under her chin to left her face up to meet his. "Well the scratch seems fairly shallow. I'm assuming this blood is one of your captor's and not your own?" Alfred asked with a smirk.

"I bit him right in the forearm. One of them returned the favor with the butt of his crossbow to my head," she replied with a small grin.

"Yes well, I'm sure Master Bruce showed them not to tangle with littler girls if you did not make the message clear enough."

Arya bit her lip, "Actually, it was Dick that saved me. He took out all ten of them."

Bruce groaned with pain from the table as Lucius pulled the bolt from his leg. Alfred turned back to face the girl with a raised eyebrow. "Master Richard saved you? My word, it would seem he's quite the young boy wonder isn't he?"

Alfred took a wet cloth and dabbed the girl's brow and chin to rid her of the dried blood. He fetched a small jar from Lucius' desk, took two fingers to its contents, and rubbed the cream along the girls wound. By this time, Dick had redressed in a silk doublet and wool breeches and emerged from behind his wardrobe. Rather than coming to comfort the girl, he picked up his escrima sticks and began assaulting the training mannequin. Alfred and Arya looked on as Dick jumped, rolled, swung, kicked, and grunted on the other side of the cave. He has done so well this night, and yet it is not enough. He wishes to improve, grow stronger, he truly is like his mentor. Alfred turned to where Bruce laid on the table, drinking Lucius' Arbor Gold straight from the bottle as the smith treated his wounds. Within two days he'll be back on his feet and training despite any arguments Lucius or I give.

After another twenty minutes of Arya's silence, the thuds from Dick's sparring, and the grunts from Bruce's throat, Alfred heard footsteps echoing down the pathway. Lord Eddard Stark burst into the room with a look of pure anger upon his face, only for it to melt away when he saw Arya's face. He ran to her and wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. "Oh my sweet girl, thank the gods you are safe."

Arya said nothing as she hugged her father, tears in the corner of both their eyes. Their gray eyes met as strands of their brown hair matted with sweat fell across their brow. Without a doubt they are truly each other's kin. Ned leaned back and looked into his daughter's eyes, "They didn't harm you or…?"

She shook her head, "No, they did nothing aside from the crossbow butt to my head. I sure showed him, hehe.."

Ned allowed himself a thin smile and a humored grunt. "Aye, that you did. Don't scare me like that again." He ruffled his daughter's hair. Alfred looked on with a smile. A father that even rivals Thomas.

Ned stood, "Alfred, if you would see my daughter to bed."

Arya blinked in confusion. "Father? You only just got here."

"I know Arya, but I have something too urgent to let wait that I must discuss with Bruce. Bruce, would you prefer Richard present or no?" He called out across the cave. Bruce leaned to his side, "Alfred, do as Ned bids. Dick, stop your training and come sit."

Ned leaned down once more and hugged his daughter, "I'm sorry my dear. I need to say what I must to Bruce, I will come to you when I'm done. I won't be long."

Arya slowly nodded and took Alfred's hand. As Ned stood he gave Alfred an appreciative nod and turned to move closer to where Bruce laid waiting. The Dornishman led the girl up through the walkway, up the ladder and through the study. As they reached her chambers she looked up to Alfred and smiled. "Give Dick my thanks, if you would Alfred."

"Of course, my lady."

"Will they always do this? Risk their lives to save people? Even if they've only known them a day, or not at all?" She asked with genuine concern flowing from her face.

"Yes my lady, Batman and Robin shall always stand watch over this city, of that much I am certain."