This is a challenge given by Sai Kunai Blade that I'm taking. Big shout-out to him and his own Arkham Saga; The Bat & The Blonde!
This takes place after Penny was first hacked by Ironwood and Dr. Watts in Amity and diverges from there as she winds up in the Arkhamverse.
"Penny, you've done enough, sweetheart. Get back inside! We can ride out on Amity together."
"No! I- I have to go! The Vault! No! Dad!"
"Penny! What is happening!? Please, baby, say something."
"I love you..."
The first thing Penny Polendina saw when she opened her eyes was darkness. She also felt like she was in some kind of car driving somewhere. At first, she must have felt that Ironwood had captured her and was hauling her away as they spoke.
"Stand back, fool, I've got a bomb!" A raspy demented voice suddenly spoke.
Penny was unfamiliar with the strange voice. She could hear the rain outside as the car soon came to a stop. As she slowly rose up, she suddenly saw the door of the car open up to reveal a tall shadowy figure standing over her.
"Can you stand?"
"Um...yes..." The Android said as she slowly moved herself out of the car, now getting a better look at who this person was.
He was a tall, intimidating man in a black and gray suit, which was the symbol on his chest resembling a bat, strong muscles, a long black cape flowing behind him, and a black cowl covering most of his face and tipped with black, bat-like ears.
"Um, hello, sir. I don't think I've seen you around Mantle before...or Atlas for that matter." Penny greeted.
"I don't know what those places are. But right now, you'd better come with me." The man said as Penny looked curious, unsure of why he hadn't heard of the Kingdom of Atlas.
The man then went to the other side of the car and pulled out another man who was much different but who put Penny on edge the moment she laid eyes on him.
He was very skinny with green hair, skin so pale it might as well be pure white, blood red lips curved in a sickening, twisted smile all while wearing a purple pinstripe suit and pointed black shoes.
"Move." The bat-clad man ordered the clown-looking man in a voice as intimidating as his appearance suggested.
"Not so rough, Bats. There's a girl with us after all." The clown chuckled as Penny followed after them to some kind of Gothic clock tower, a smaller building not far away, and even a building that appeared to be a garden.
Penny watched as the large metal doors at the front with large sliding locks to keep them secured opened up to let them inside. She wondered if this really was an asylum and not a maximum-level prison.
The three walked into the building, the bat-clad man pushed the clown roughly forward as an old man in a black business suit, red tie, and holding a cane where both of his hands rested.
"Hey, Sharpie! Love what you've done with the place." The clown grinned at the old man sinisterly.
"That's Warden Sharp to you." The old man snapped back at him. "Boles!"
One mean-looking security guard with a scarred eye came forward as the clown smiled at him.
"Yo, Frank-ay! How's the wife and kids? Ya miss me?"
"Shut it, Clown!" The guard known as Boles snapped as he roughly grabbed the man. "A lot of people here really wanna talk to you."
Penny watched as the guard pulled Joker towards a stretcher and strapped him in.
"Really, I don't mind walking," Joker complained as he was loaded onto the stretcher and locked in. "Not so tight boys, you'll crease the suit."
"Get that filthy degenerate out of here!" The Warden ordered.
The bat-clad man however frowned. "Warden, something's not right. I'm going with him."
"And what about this young lady with you?" The Warden asked.
"While I was on my way to stop Joker, I saw her crash land nearby. She doesn't seem to have suffered any damage from the impact. I don't know why, but she's different from what I gather."
"My name is Penny Polendina, protector of Mantle and the current Winter Maiden." Penny decided to introduce herself to clear things up. "And...I don't believe I'm supposed to be here."
"Mantle? What sort of city is that?" Boles scoffed rudely.
"Well, I can assure you miss, this is not 'Mantle' as you call it." The Warden explained. "You're in Gotham City and this is Arkham Asylum, home for the criminally insane like that diseased lunatic, The Joker."
"And who are you, exactly?" Penny asked the bat-clad man. "You look like you could be a character from my friends Ruby and Jaune's comics."
"I'm Batman." He simply replied before following Joker. Penny decided to follow as well since she had nowhere else to go in this strange world.
"Am I not on Remnant anymore? How did I get here? I remember...my programming being hacked...Dad...Ruby...are they okay?"
"Sharpie loves his cameras. Hey, Sharpie! You getting my good side? Oh heck, they're all good, aren't they?" Joker chuckled before he glanced at Penny "Say cheese for the camera little lady. After all, you're the surprise guest we've got tonight!"
Penny frowned as she joined Batman on a small platform that lowered them down a level, leading to what she could read 'Intensive Treatment'.
"Look at all this new security. How's a guy supposed to break out of here?" Joker smirked as he looked around. "We got to teach the new girl how to escape properly."
"She's not a prisoner, Joker. Right now, she's an anomaly that we need to look after." Batman said sternly, glaring at the clown. "She doesn't need to be involved in your sick twisted games."
"Now that's not nice Bats. How can I teach the new girl if you won't let us mingle?"
Everyone continued down to the Intensive Care unit and toward a large chamber that was also a scanner and metal detector. There was a small chime and a female voice rang out over the intercom.
"New patient in the Intensive Treatment lobby. All non-essential staff are to vacate the area."
"It's always nice to return to my sweet little ha-ha-Hacienda!" Joker laughed.
Penny frowned. This Joker seemed way too similar to Tyrian Callows for her liking. The twisted grin that never left his face only further proved the comparison.
Once inside the door shut with a hiss behind them. The machine started to hum and scan over all of them.
"Y'know what? I preferred the good ol' cavity search. Much more personal." Joker said.
That definitely made Penny uncomfortable. She knew full-well what a cavity search was, the police of Atlas had done so to criminals a few times. If Batman was also disturbed by Joker's comments, he didn't show it.
However, the lights of the scanner flashed red and somehow started going berserk as well.
"Got a red light. Multiple prohibited items." One of the guards manning the scanner said.
"I want Joker searched again!" An angry voice commanded.
"Err, It's not the patient, it's err..." the guard stammered.
Penny blushed in embarrassment, realizing that the cat was out of the bag as she turned apologetically to Batman.
"I am greatly sorry, Mr. Batman. I am actually...not a real girl. I'm an android created by my father, Pietro Polendina. I am the first artificial being to possess a soul."
"I see." Batman noted calmly. "I did have a hunch you were different. Thanks for confirming for me."
"I'll explain as much as I possibly can when this criminal is put away." Penny said.
"Oh, a real-life robot, eh?" Joker smirked. "Are you from outer space? Here to invade us or something?"
"Scan is green on Joker." the guard confirmed for them.
"Open the gate! Get him out of there!"
The door in front of them opens up and Penny saw an African-American man with a hook for a hand along with several other guards standing at the ready with their weapons, all aiming at Joker.
"I want weapons on him at all times. Do not let him out of your sight."
"There will be time for you later, Cash." Joker said to him as he was moved past the guard. "Speaking of time; tick-tock, tick-tock. Is that a crocodile I hear?"
As they moved they passed a woman who appeared to be a doctor who was standing behind two guards, who Joker took particular notice of.
"What's up, doc? Pencil me in for tomorrow at 4:00. We've got a lot of catching up to do."
The group walked down a new hallway with several monitors showing Warden Sharp on screen. They started to play what Penny guessed was a recording, speaking to the 'new' patients in the asylum.
"Ooh, it's my favorite show! 'I'm warden idiot', 'you'll never escape'" Joker laughed, mockingly imitating Warden Sharp.
"Hey, it's Joker."
Penny turned to see several men who looked to be criminals being led down the hallway in the other direction. However, they were dressed in either gray or brown prison garbs. They were marched with their hands on their heads as the guard kept their weapons on them
"Joker! Joker!"
"Hear about Blackgate, Boss?"
"Got your suit, Boss!"
"I'm telling you, the state of the wiring in these federal facilities is shocking," Joker commented. "My boys over there could've been hurt in that 'unfortunate' fire."
Penny didn't exactly like how Joker put emphasis on 'unfortunate' as she turned to Batman, who noticed her concern.
"I know, I don't like it either. Those men are Joker's henchmen, low-life thugs who are currently being held here while Blackgate Penitentiary is being repaired after a fire broke out."
"Just got to check your patient, Officer Boles." A doctor with a clipboard said as he stepped up.
"Whatever, just be quick!" Boles snapped impatiently.
"Only following procedure" The doctor stated stepping forward and checking Joker out without touching him. "Patient seems to be in satisfactory condition. Looks like he suffered minor lacerations, probably in the last two hours. There seem to be..."
"Boo!" Joker shouted, startling the doctor before bursting into laughter. "Need to take my temperature? I'd be happy to drop my pants."
"He's all yours. Get him out of here." The doctor scowled.
"He's good. Open the door." One of the guards reported over his radio.
The thick doors like the one they went through at the beginning of their journey opened up as a chime came over the loudspeakers and then an announcement came.
"Alert in Intensive Treatment: Category 9 patient in transit. Pacification system active. Shoot-to-kill permission granted."
"You heard the lady, we've got another psycho on the way." One of the guards ordered.
Through the door were over half a dozen guards before an open elevator shaft where the cabin moving, showing the elevator was moving up. Penny said nothing as it seemed a bit much for another patient coming up.
"Can you smell the excitement in the air? No? Must've been one of the guards." Joker then looked over at who was coming up in the elevator and smiled. "Croc, old boy! Is that you?"
Penny turned her attention to the lifting elevator, which had the side sparking and moving slowly as if lifting a heavy load. The Winter Maiden could barely see a hunched figure inside the elevator as it finally stopped at the floor.
"Get ready. Keep your weapons trained on him at all times." One of the guards ordered.
Penny could just stare as something big climbed out of the elevator. It was bigger than the Atlas' Paladins but was pure flesh and blood. Once outside the creature stood up, towering over all of them through size alone. His body was scaly and green in color with an almost flat face and wicked oversized teeth. Wearing only orange prison pants, shackles around his wrists, and a collar around his neck, it hissed when a spotlight was shined on him.
"That can't be a Faunus...after all, I'm not on Remnant anymore," Penny noted internally as the creature sniffed the air before turning to face Batman, his yellow reptilian eyes directed at him.
"I've got your scent, Batman! I will hunt you down."
"Power up the collar, get that animal under control!"
The collar around the beast's neck lit up, shocking him as he merely flinched in discomfort before being led away.
"A toy collar won't stop me from killing you, Batman. I'll rip you apart. Eat your bones."
As the beast was led away, his eyes trailed toward Penny for the briefest moment. The android maiden tensed slightly as he snarled lowly, muttering something about "No scent." and "Not human, just like me."
"Um, Mr. Batman...who was that?" Penny asked.
"Waylon Jones, known in Gotham as Killer Croc," Batman explained. "He was born with a rare genetic mutation that made him look like that. Growing up looking like he did, he was ostracized by others. Because of that, he developed a distaste for humanity and has since been convicted of murder and cannibalism."
"I see..." Penny frowned, thinking back to the White Fang and how she helped Ruby, Blake, and Sun fight them back in Vale.
With everything clear, the guards, Batman, and Penny led Joker into the elevator as it began going down.
"Wee! Great night for a party!"
"Not where you're going," Batman stated simply.
"The night is young, Bats. I still have a trick or two up my sleeve." Joker smirked. "I mean, don't you think it's a little funny how a fire at Blackgate caused hundreds of my crew to be moved here?"
"I thought I told you to stay quiet!" Boles snapped.
"Oh, Frankie. You really should learn to keep that fat mouth of yours shut. It'll get you into trouble." Joker said, coldly growling out the last part, which unsettled Penny to no end.
"Tell me something. You've never let me catch you this easily. What are you really after?" Batman asked calmly.
"Oh, nothing much. Hundreds dying in pain and fear. All their meaningless lives brought to a horrifying conclusion. All thanks to you and a book of matches. Was that the answer you wanted?"
Penny felt cold, the casual way Joker spoke those atrocious words sent shivers into her core. If she had an actual heart, it would be beating in fear at just how little this man regarded the lives of others.
Her musings were snapped out when a television monitor attached to the elevator showed a recording of the Warden before everything suddenly went black and the elevator stopped, Joker cackling all the while.
"What's he doing?"
"Stay where you are!"
"Get a flashlight! Get a light on him!"
The lights came back on and the recording started again. Joker was still in his chair but now Batman was holding him by the throat so he wouldn't try and escape.
"What? Don't you trust me?" Joker choked out through Batman's grip before being let go.
The elevator soon stopped and everyone stepped outside as the gates opened. Several guards were standing at the sides all with their guns up and aiming at Joker.
"Intensive Treatment lower floors are now in level Red Alpha." The announcer spoke.
"So you're back." One of the guards scowled hatefully at Joker. "You killed three of my crew when you busted out of here."
"Only three?" Joker asked with a laugh. "I'll be sure to try harder next time. What say we aim for a hundred?"
They finally made it to Patient Hangover where a man with graying hair and a mustache was doing paperwork on a clipboard. He turned around, allowing Penny to see he was dressed in a blue vest with his badge strapped to his belt and a pistol in a hostler strapped to his chest.
"Long night, Jim?" Batman asked as he and the man shook hands like they were old friends.
The man chuckled. "Joker invades City Hall and holds the Mayor hostage, leaving it to me to juggle SWAT teams, the media, and you. Yeah, it's been a helluva night."
"Hopefully the last one we'll ever have with him," Batman stated as he looked at Joker.
"Salutations, sir." Penny smiled as she greeted the man. "My name is Penny Polendina, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Heh, nice girl. I'm Police Commissioner James Gordon." The man greeted back before turning to Batman. "She with you?"
"In a way, yes. I found her while I was on my way to stop Joker. Apparently, she came out of the sky and crashed nearby but had no visible injuries on her so to speak. From what she's told me, she's a fully sentient android...and she's not from around here."
"Huh, so an alien robot girl from outer space, huh?" Gordon chuckled. "Have to say, that's not even the weirdest thing that we've come across."
Joker had since been taken out of his harness and was being moved on foot with his hands cuffed in front of him. Batman, Penny and Gordon headed towards them before one guard held a hand out to them.
"Hold it, there! Sorry, Batman, Arkham staff only."
Gordon frowned. "I assure you, if anyone's qualified, it's…"
"Listen, I appreciate the assistance, but he'll unsettle the more violent inmates."
"I think he's talking about you, Bats!" Joker laughed as the laser gate shut off and he was led through. "Don't be a stranger! You're always welcome here! Gotta say, it's good to be back!"
"You okay?" Gordon asked, noticing the uneasy look in Batman's eyes.
"He surrendered almost without a fight. I don't like it." Batman said moving inside the booth to watch the progress through the window.
"At least he's back where he belongs," Gordon said with a nod.
"And what about the other 'special' prisoner?" Batman asked.
Penny was curious. "Special prisoner?"
"He's actually been rather compliant with the guards. He hasn't started any fights or used those weird powers of his." Gordon explained.
"Who are you talking about?" Penny asked.
"A Metahuman, a rather young one at that." Batman clarified. "I caught him a few days ago when he maimed a group of criminals who had tried to assault him."
"Metahuman?" Penny asked.
"Metahumans are...well, they're people with superpowers," Gordon explained. "Some use them for good, like a few friends Batman has outside of town. Others...well, they use them for less noble pursuits."
"And what are this special prisoners powers?" Penny inquired.
"Several of the criminals had wounds pertaining to burning, freezing, and electrocution," Batman said. "So far, he hasn't tried anything since he's been put here. The jury is still trying to figure out his case."
Inside the next room, Joker took a glance back to see Batman was watching him. He then looked in one of the holding cells, most of which had some of his henchmen from Blackgate residing in them while another was different.
He was a young man with messy black hair and wearing a plain black t-shirt and blue jeans with black boots and red biker gloves. However, the unique thing about him was his eyes, which were a bright amber color.
The Joker and the boy caught a quick glance at each other, the evil clown simply smirking at the boy, who gave him a glare of indifference. Suddenly, Joker fell to his knees
"Get up," The guard escorting him ordered, not noticing Joker's smirk as he reached to lift him up. "Now!"
Joker acted at once, headbutting the guard before quickly getting behind him and wrapping the chains of his cuffs over his neck, strangling the struggling guard.
"Joker's loose! Alert the warden!" Batman demanded as he punched the bulletproof glass window, cracking it heavily.
"Hurry, we're losing him, Doc!" Joker screamed to the doctor, who was trying to undo the cuffs to save the guard.
"No!" Penny cried and, much to Batman's shock barged through the glass, the damage Batman already did helping make it easier for her as her backpack opened up and summoned her weapon, Floating Array.
Batman watched as the swords attached to near-invisible puppet strings came out of the backpack apparatus on Penny's back and stabbed at Joker, who barely jumped out of the way as he let go of the guard before he could strangle him to death.
"Well, that was rude, wasn't it, girly?" Joker sneered.
"You cannot escape!" Penny said, readying her swords but Joker simply went past the security doors as they turned on again.
"Welcome to the madhouse, Batman! I set a trap and you sprang it gloriously!" The clown cackled. "Now let's get this party started!"
Penny has found herself in Gotham City and after meeting Batman and Joker, finds herself in Arkham Asylum in the middle of a mass breakout.
Will our adorable android maiden be able to handle the madness that awaits her? And what of this mysterious boy who is also imprisoned at Arkham? What is his story? And what will he do know that Joker is letting the prisoners free?
Huge Shout-Out to Sai Kunai Blade for the challenge and an honorable mention to the legendary Kevin Conroy, who will always be our Batman.