Chapter 9

Hatty took this moment in catching his breath while wiping the mirth tears from his eyes. And remained in Four Arms' care. He soon got some strength back to speak again.

"Just so you know, that trigger word for Whampire was a one time use only where I couldn't reactivate it if I wanted to," Hatty clarified. "Even if the word was spoken again, Whampire would stay the same and not act like a cat."

"When were you able to hypnotize him?" Sasha asked curiously.

"I hypnotized Whampire when it was still me resisting his power," Hatty explained, taking out his pocket watch to show. "After about forty seconds of being conscious from falling asleep and counting, I used my pocket watch during the process and got him for less than five seconds."

"What?!" Whampire asked in shock. "That's impossible! You said my time was a minute and thirty seconds."

"Did you really think you lasted a minute and thirty seconds from me?" Harry/Hatty questioned Whampire, a small smirk on his face. "That was my time running where I didn't stop it until after I posted the hypnotic suggestion to you."

"But how?" The Vladat asked, still stunned.

"I said I studied the basics from my mentor. But I never said that the basics involved tricks on how to reverse one's hypnosis against them nor resist their power," Harry/Hatty clarified. "I learned that a hypnotist is at his or her weakest when in the middle of the trick. By using my watch during the hypnosis scene, I was reflecting Whampire's own power back and turned his strength against him. I call it the looking-glass trick because it's basically the same as using a mirror."

"Very sneaky," Rachel said, smiling.

"I honestly would have lasted forty-eight seconds from that game, if I didn't do that unexpected trick on Whamps," Hatty explained. "Almost a minute; tops. I spent years practicing with my Hatter father-figure on how to resist from getting hypnotized for long periods of time and all that. Considering he's a neuro-scientist."

"Fair enough," Whampire said, conceding defeat graciously.

"I have to ask. Out of all the things to have Whampire be while under your control...why have him think he's a cat?" Rachel questioned.

"Because my best friend loves cats and I wanted to make up for that unexpected turn on his unbirthday," Hatty answered. "Plus, get back at Four Arms for finding a tickle spot on him before any of us could. No offense."

"None taken," Four Arms said before looking curious. "But for real, he was serious about going through tests to decrease his sensitivity? And it sounds like he willingly did so. Why is that?

"Scarecrow's mentor, who is also my other uncle, suffers from gargalaphobia for having a high sensitivity where he made my best friend go through several tests in not having the same weakness as him," Hatty/Harry explained. "Along with having an immunity to fear gas. And any other toxins."

"Less weaknesses for someone to exploit," Sasha said understandingly.

"Between my best friend not used to being tickled and my other musical friend who went through a traumatic experience involving Joker Venom, you can see why they didn't want to stick around," Hatty stated. "I don't mind it because I have a playful auntie who would use tickling to cheer me up at my lowest. Same with my other aunt who helps her out. My point is, I understand my friends enough on what they like and don't like. I once promised Scarecrow about his unbirthday being scary yet fun, big for loud music acoustics, and above oddball friends aka us where I meant it."

Around admitting this, his crystal turned purple from his back pocket.

Rachel noticed the glow and hugged the young man. "Easy," she soothed gently.

"What are you-?" Hatty started asking, until seeing his crystal glow where his eyes widen. "...My crystal is purple...Holy haberdashery, I finally got it that color!"

"I'm guessing from your exclamation, that's the color you needed for something?" Sasha asked.

"It's the same color that brought us here!" The boy said happily. "We can go home now!"

Just then, Ultimate Echo Echo came in with Techno-Tune beside him and while Upgrade came out and Scarecrow was beside him. Both boys looked wary, to which Rachel smiled. "Calm down, you two," she said gently. "My brothers might be mischievous, but they know not to go overboard with tickle tortures. Besides, you two weren't the ones to pull a prank on a Vladat."

Scarecrow looked at Hatty, who smiled. "I'm fine," he said. "What Miss Rachel said is true. Though masters at giving tickle tortures, they are not cruel."

Frankenstrike came out. "Hey, does this belong to you boys?" He asked, carrying a familiar cake. "I found this in my lab."

Hatty sighed in relief. "Oh, good," he said. "Is it still in one piece?"

"Still in one piece," the scientist alien said with a nod.

Techno-Tune smiled before seeing a little girl come up to him and Echo, who had been on the boy's shoulder, moved down his arm to the little girl, who gently pet him, giggling. "He's good at hide-and-seek," she said.

"That he is," the music-loving boy said.

"She was playing with Echo when we found him," Hatty said. "And she was gentle with him."

Techno-Tune smiled and looked at the young girl. "Thank you for being so kind to him," he said to her.

A teenage girl came up to Scarecrow, looking at Dorothy. "Is she feeling better?" She asked.

Dorothy cawed and flew to the girl's shoulder, nuzzling her head against the girl's head. Hatty smiled. "She's thanking you," he said before looking at his friend. "She found Dorothy after she had exhausted herself trying to escape and she gave Dorothy some food to help her regain her strength when we found her."

The Scarecrow was surprised to learn that and nodded. "Thank you for being nice to her," he said. "Most people I've met don't like crows."

"Like I told him, my mom has taught me, my siblings, and cousins to respect animals," the girl said, smiling at Rachel, who nodded.

Spade went up to Rachel and rubbed against her leg, to which the young woman knelt down and pet the fox. "You, Echo, and Dorothy make sure those boys stay out of trouble, Spade," she said, to which the fox gave a small bark of affirmation before going back over to her owner and Hatty got the crystal out. He then turned to them all.

"Thank you for hosting us," he said. "Perhaps our paths will cross again sometime."

"Perhaps," Sasha said, smiling.

"You kids be careful," Four Arms said.

"Get home safe," Ultimate Echo Echo said.

"We will," Scarecrow said with a nod.

Within the blink of an eye, the three Gotham Grimtales and their animal companions found themselves back in Gotham City. "Oh, good," Techno-Tune said in relief.

"Are we all here?" Hatty asked.

Scarecrow did a quick count. "Three animals and three of us," he said. "Yes, we're all accounted for."

"Alright. We best get moving back to our lair," Hatty said, closing his eyes and touching his hat to mentally call someone. "Thankfully, I still have control on the two police people from earlier to summon us a ride."

On cue, a police car showed up with Officers Katz and McQueen with blank faces before opening the doors for them to get in quickly.

"Our carriage awaits," Hatty said, already going in with the others following. "Take us home, please,"

Soon, the three boys and their animals headed back for the lair (after being dropped off a block away to avoid being entirely followed), soon arriving and finding Moth Queen there.

"Where have you all been?" She asked, sounding irritated. "I waited for almost an hour here."

"Just out for a bit of a joyride, Milady," Hatty said, smoothly.

She rolled her eyes and walked away, to which the three boys looked at each other. "Agree to not tell anyone what happened?" Techno-Tune suggested.

"I second that," Scarecrow said.

"Motion passed," Hatty said with a nod. "Now, let's get to the real reason for today. Our good friend Scarecrow's unbirthday."

Scarecrow looked surprised and was astounded to see Hatty had gotten him a large cake that was not only his favorite flavor being chocolate, but also his color scheme too in a spooky manner. "Thank you, Hatty," he said. "And thank you, Techno-Tune."

"You're welcome, Evan," Techno-Tune said with a smile before turning to Hatty. "So, you can teleport us through space and time now, Harry?"

"I think so, Greg," Hatty/Harry admitted, looking at his crystal staff. "It looks like the emotion to unlock it is empathy. I'm definitely going to need some more practice with that new power. But that wait until tomorrow."

"Agreed," Scarecrow and Techno-Tune responded together.


Meanwhile, Batman got to his Batmobile, having been tracking it since he found it was moving and he was suspicious why it was moving when he hadn't called it remotely and it was found near Gotham City's exit.

He immediately checked to make sure nothing was missing and thankfully, everything was in place, but he didn't find anything out of place, not even a clue as to who had taken the vehicle. "Alfred, can you recheck the path the Batmobile took?" He asked through his earpiece.

"Yes, sir," Alfred, the faithful butler said, checking it again. "It seems it went nowhere except to the exit of the city limits. Someone looking for a thrill, perhaps? A joyrider, I believe you say?"

"Why take the Batmobile on a joyride?" Batman asked. "Either whoever did had no intention of doing anything but joyriding, or something else."

"Nothing looks out of place, sir?"

"No, which is puzzling," the Caped Crusader said.

"Perhaps just something that can't be explained then," Alfred said. "But perhaps an alarm on the Batmobile in the future might be wise?"

"Definitely," Batman agreed with a nod. "I'll be home soon, Alfred."

"I'll have dinner ready, sir," the faithful butler said.

Batman drove back to the Batcave, deciding on what type of alarm and how to integrate it with the rest of the electronics that made up the car.

He didn't want someone else getting their hands on the Batmobile ever again.


And that concludes "A Mad And Curious Meeting". Thank you all who faved, reviewed, followed, and read this story.

Please leave Redbat132, Alvaxerox, and myself a review, but no flames!

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