Fandom Gotham: Abandoned Hope

[AncientWisemon]

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. Dante Alighieri, La Divna Commedia

Welcome to


Gotham
​

This is Gotham! A town where darkness creeps behind every corner, where blood fills the streets and sewers, where hope is but an abstract term whose true meaning is long forgotten. Gotham was never a peaceful city, but it had its periods when the darkness was hibernating, releasing only random outbursts... that is what people would call peace... ten murders a day constituted a time of peace for Gothamites. Yet now, the darkness has started to awake once more, sending outbursts more violent than ever and creating an army of psychotic criminals and villains that terrorize the city and its grandeur. Gotham, or as they call it She, is slowly becoming an urban asylum where the lunatics have taken over. A place where chaos is law, and where law is illegal.

The resistance is present, but outnumbered and not nearly as powerful. A small group of police officers lead by Chief Inspector James Gordon, a justice-loving ADA Harvey Dent and Gotham's most famous son, the billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne, whose money does help the cause, but whose personal engagement doesn't match up to it. Each of them has his own cause - Gordon's is order, Dent's is justice and Wayne's is the will to hinder a crime similar to that of his parents' murder 12 years ago - but can they unite them all in order to defeat the chaos? Can hope prevail? Against a corrupt mayor, an emerging crime boss known only as The Penguin, a distorted sense of value, a vindictive religious order and several other maniacs, the battle... no, the war certainly doesn't look winnable, but can our heroes really prevail? Well, we wouldn't be calling them heroes if they would just give up... would we?

 

[One Mean Ghost]

Gotham.... A city constantly under the shadow of darkness. For years, it had been a wretched slum full of all manner of villains. Many innocent lives were lost on a daily basis. Some metaphorically, some literally. Many children growing up in this city lost themselves in the darkness, becoming a part of it themselves. Very few ever escaped...


A lone figure sat up on one of the tall buildings that made up Gotham's beautiful skyline as the sun set, leaving darkness in its wake. His feet dangled over a drop of several hundred feet. Upon his body, he wore a full suit of new age armor. It had been intended for military use, and someday in the future, it would see that purpose. For now, this prototype armor was still in the testing phases at Wayne Enterprises. To the one who wore it, it seemed only fitting to give it a field test in the crime capitol of the world. Of course, he also wore a mask that covered all of his face save for his mouth, but left his hair, tied back in a half ponytail, yet still hanging a little ways down his back, visible.


In recent weeks, news outlets all over Gotham had been reporting on a strange new rise of what they could only call "Vigilante Crimes". A mysterious individual, or maybe more than one, had launched a campaign of Vigilante Justice in Gotham. In the past week, over a dozen wanted murders were found dead, often left at local GCPD buildings to be tagged. The media, of course, was quick to note that only violent offenders seemed to be at risk. GCPD was quick to put out notice that this Vigilante, known to them as Vanguard, was a criminal in his own right and would be brought to justice. How they figured out his name was, well, rather simple. He had a propensity for writing his name in his victim's blood on the nearest wall. Once his name caught on, he stopped writing his name, leaving just a 'V' to save time.


Vanguard scratched his chin, looking at the city below as night fell at last. "Well... time to get to work..." He muttered, pushing himself off the ledge as he let himself fall. He grabbed two handles on his hips and pullled, his outfit becoming a Glider Suit as he flew over the city, a radio in his ear relaying police chatter to him. "We have a Hostage situation in progress at Gotham's First National Bank. All Units be Advised, the three subjects are armed and dangerous. Initial reports indicate they have already killed a Bank teller."


It was going to be a busy night...


He clicked his heels together, small jets igniting in his boots to give him some speed as he closed the distance to the bank. Sure enough, as he approached he could already see the hostage takers through the class doors. One man was standing guard at the door, and the other two were standing around the hostages. He chuckled softly, coming in low, just above the streetlights as he deactivated his wings, flipping once through the air as his boot crackled with electricity before he crashed through the front door, his electrified boot catching the man full in the chest... He screamed as his heart was fried, blood dripping from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears as Vanguard landed on him.


The other two were momentarily stunned, but only momentarily. They raised their guns to him, but by the time they reacted, Vanguard was upon the first one, a charged fist catching his chest and ending his life much like the first one. He spun the body around, using it as a shield as he raised the victim's gun to the other, pulling the trigger and riddling the third with bullets. He dropped the corpse and dusted off his hands, Turning to leave the stunned hostages where they were.


He didn't say a single word during the whole fight. This was why Vanguard was quickly becoming feared among Gotham's criminal underground. Nobody knew anything about him. He just sprang up one day and started killing Gotham's worst elements... He pulled up his suit's wings again, clicking his heels together as he shot away just as the police arrived, a few of them just barely catching a glimpse of the vigilante that was doing their jobs for them.


The night continued on much the same way. Rapists, Murderers, Robbers, they all met Vanguard and didn't live to tell about it. Violent offenders met violent ends when they crossed paths with Vanguard. Of course, some lived to tell the story of him.. These were the 'Moderates' as Vanguard dubbed them. They weren't quite violent enough to warrant death, but they were bad enough to warrant his attention. These ones he personally deposited in their cells.


As the night drew closer to the dawn. Vanguard landed outside of Arkham, two unconscious Moderates dragged behind him. He pressed a button on his wrist, and Arkham's front door opened to him. He walked in to see stunned guards. "Don't worry boys, I'm not here to cause trouble... I'm making a deposit, not a withdrawal" he remarked, tossing two fingerprint cards on the table, one for each offender. The guards looked to each other. "Please don't trigger the alarm. I really don't want to have to hurt you guys for doing your job.." Vanguard remarked shaking his head. "I'll just be in and out." he remarked walking past the guards, who apparently thought better of testing a Vigilante known for killing victims...


He walked through the halls, past by all of the staff offices. He chuckled softly, just where did these people get their names? Strange? Crane? Seriously?


He finally made his way into the cell blocks. He found an open cell and tossed the two rather roughly onto the beds before closing it, covering the lock with his palm as he activated the electronic lock with a quick jolt of electricity.


These particular offenders he had picked up in short order. One he had picked up trying to rob a woman at knife point near a coffee shop. The other, he had caught outside of the animal shelter using cats for target practice with a crossbow... Animals like these two belonged in this kind of cage...


He strolled through Arkham, which by now he had visited a few times with new Moderates he had captured. He found himself wandering into the Greenhouse. It was, for lack of any more eloquent terms, beautiful. Some of the flowers here couldn't be found anywhere else around here. Vanguard always made it a point to stop by here at least for a few minutes before he left Arkham. The flowers always reminded him of his sister's little garden she kept on the windowsill of their family apartment...


He would trade anything just to have her back, but nothing could bring back the dead.... He sighed softly, before his gaze fell upon a particular flower.. A blue rose... That had been his sister's pride and joy when she had found that her rose seeds had somehow contained a rare blue rose seed. He walked over to the flower, a single tear rolling down his cheek as he saw it... He looked up at the wall, where a bunch of small drawers contained seeds for every plant in the greenhouse.. He opened the one for the rose, taking a couple of the precious seeds before he moved to the research journal left nearby. He took up the pen and turned to a fresh page.

To the Operator of this Greenhouse,


I hope you don't mind that I've 'borrowed' some seeds for your beautiful blue roses. Someone rather special to me used to raise them, and I'd like to grow a few in memory of that someone. When the flowers reach maturity, I'll replace the seeds I've borrowed. Of this, you have my word.


Respectfully,


Vanguard

He set down the pen in the journal, closing the journal so the pen would serve as a bookmark for his note. He tucked the seeds carefully into a pouch as he made his way out of Arkham as the sun started to peek over the horizon. He activated his suit's Glider function once more, flying over the still sleeping city to a good sized apartment not too far from Wayne Enterprises. He landed on the roof, pushing a button on his wrist as he checked the security cameras inside to be sure no one was out and about... From there, he made his way inside to his apartment. Once inside, he slipped out of the suit and removed the mask, a yawn escaping his lips as he pressed a hidden button by his wardrobe, the furniture spinning around to reveal a spot just for his suit. He set the suit and mask in its place before hitting the button again, the wardrobe spinning back around. He glanced to the clock.


"Shit... Just two hours till I need to be at my day job..." he grumbled rubbing his eyes. He walked over to the nightstand, reaching under it to press a hidden button that opened the top of it, revealing a strange blue liquid in an injector gun. This was something he developed in his free time.. He called it 'One-Hour Rest' It caused the user to go into a near-comatose state for on hour. When they awoke, they experienced all of the benefits of a full night's rest, with no side effects. He picked up the injector, holding it up to his neck as he pulled the trigger, the blue liquid decreasing a little. He had just enough time to set the injector back in place and close the secret compartment before he fell onto the bed, out cold....


~~~~~~~~~~~

Dante yawned as he opened his eyes just a short hour later. His morning routine was rather simple, a quick shower, some toast and bacon, and he was out the door. He wore black slacks and a white, button up shirt with a black tie, looking very much professional, even if his muscle tone did threaten to shred the shirt if he moved the wrong way. And of course, he always had to tie the tie in a unique way. The flavor today was an Eldredge knott He slipped some glasses up over his eyes. They weren't prescription glasses, of course. They were a mini computer that functioned as a magnifying glass and also gave him readouts when he was working on tech. Quite handy for his day job.


He strolled out the door, walking down Gotham's bustling streets, just another face in the crowed. He walked up to the coffee shop, waiting in line like he did every morning. This particular shop was the same one where he had stopped the Moderate the night before, and the same one that Gotham City Police tended to frequent quite often. In fact, a few of the officers were around now, discussing the latest Vanguard news. If they only knew that the person they were talking about was standing in line right in front of them for a white chocolate mocha, with caramel and extra whipped cream.


With Coffee in hand, he left the shop, taking a moment to glance at the headlining article on the newsstand. It was no big surprise to him, at least.

Vanguard Strikes Again

The vigilante known as Vanguard has appeared yet again. Last night, he was quite busy across Gotham. He broke up an armed robbery of Gotham's First National Bank, killing all three would be robbers before leaving just as GCPD arrived. He also somehow find time to subdue a would be robber and an animal abuser. The woman he saved from the robbery had this to say. "I didn't know what to think, I had a knife at my throat and suddenly the guy was thrown into the wall! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Vanguard... He was scary as hell! Then again, he was kinda hot too.. But either way, I owe him my life... I just wish I got his number.."


No doubt GCPD would like his number as well. In short order, Vanguard has become magnitudes more effective than police, even if his tactics go well above and beyond what police normally employs.


In addition to the Bank robbery and subsequent armed robbery, Vanguard also subdued an animal abuser who has already been confirmed to be the cause of numerous feline deaths in recent weeks.


Public opinion of Vanguard has been highly mixed. Many fear a vigilante like Vanguard will eventually become mad with power. Others are grateful that at least someone is trying to make the city just a little bit safer. For more on this and other Vanguard news, please tune into the evening news at 7 PM.

Once again, he had made front page news.... Crime was already on the decline as word about him spread. A wise man once said, "It is better to be feared than loved". For Vanguard, that was most definitely the truth.


Dante made his way to Wayne Enterprises, walking in with numerous greetings from his colleagues. In short order, Dante had gone from a simple researcher here to being Head of New Technologies Research. It was a big job, especially for someone as young as Dante, but he seemed to excel. Wayne Enterprises Technology had taken dramatic leaps forward under Dante's capable leadership. He walked to his office, the words Dr. Enferno emblazoned on the door. He had honorary PhDs in both Computer Science and Biological Chemistry, warranting the 'Dr.' title. However, with his young age, he couldn't have officially earned the degrees yet.


He opened his door, stepping inside to a rather odd sight. On the walls of his office, plants were hanging. Some he used for research, others he kept just for decoration. One empty pot sat on his desk... He produced a few seeds from his pocket, the seeds of the blue rose before he planted them in the pot, taking a little water bottle and watering them so they would grow. His sister would laugh at him if she could see him now. He had never taken an interest in plants before her death, but it was how he kept her close, that and the locket she always wore, he kept around his neck.


He sat down behind his desk, logging into his computer as he started his day job, writing new programs for Wayne Enterprises Security and, quite covertly, adding in special backdoors that would give him access whenever he wanted it... As Vanguard, he had found it quite useful to have everything bugged. It made getting into places so much easier....


So began another day in the City of Gotham.


Only one question remained now.

Where would the rest of the pieces fall?

​

 

[Xtremenerd]

Crane smiled as he heard Vanguard bring in some new inmates. 'perfect' HE thought to himself, he smiled and walked to a testing chamber down the hall. When he looked through the window he saw his most recent subject sitting in the center of the room, petrified and unmoving. "Marvelous" he laughed,"looks like my new toxin works better than I thought, now I can them suffer in silence." His laughter filled the halls as he walked back to his office. When he arrived he began looking at the manifest of the asylum, looking to pick his next victim. He enjoyed what he did here. He could test inhumanly on people who nobody cared about, and for that reason, no one ever noticed the awful things he did. At first he had had a small amount of sympathy for his subjects but that feeling had long been crushed. He grinned as he walked to John Walker's cell. This unfortunate man was his next subject. After the success of his neuron fear gas, he was ready to try something much deadlier.....

 

[gogojojo331]

Kirk walked into Frank's. He yawned and stretched his arms out. 'Just another slow day in the diner.' he thought to himself, dusting his clothes with his hand. Gothamites called this place 'A greasy spoon' type of place, food that's high in calories, and unfortunately pretty low on sanitation. He didn't care. He was a newspaper vendor, and didn't exactly care about the food. It wasn't his jurisdiction, and frankly, he'd never thought of touching the food with a 20-foot pole. Upon entering the newsstand, he took inventory. Candy? Check. Up to date newspapers and magazines? Mostly check, new shipments coming... Clean? Check. Register? Check! Sometimes he felt like he was wasting his life away, but maybe it was his punishment...He did too much stuff in his life that he was even grateful to be here.

 

[AncientWisemon]

Penguin

​

Breakfast was always simple. It had to be. It was the first meal of the day and one should not force himself to exaggerate so early. A stylish croissant, freshly squeezed orange juice and Oswald Cobblepot was the happiest person in Gotham. Well, there was that and the billions that were just piling up while he was carelessly consuming his breakfast. A lackey of his (he couldn't know all their names, could he?) had brought the newspapers as requested. Oswald was a pragmatic man, although not without idealism, but with a sense of reality that allowed him to balance his childhood fantasies with Gotham's brutal reality. But, returning to his pragmatism! He liked to be in touch with the world as, well, information was the weapon of today. Certainly, you had guns more sophisticated then ever, toxins more deadly than one could imagine, but everything still revolved around having the necessary information. One could even go so far as to ascertain that information had become a currency, traded just like paper money. Luckily for him, he was in possession of both.


Never did Oswald kid himself into thinking that the Gotham Gazette would provide him with the necessary information. These journalists were bigger idiots than people writing fan-fiction or playing forum-based role-play games! But, it was a good window of opportunity, sort of like dirty glasses; you could see with them, but only a small portion of what you could see if you had had them cleaned. The Gotham City Gazette was his pair of dirty glasses and he certainly had a way of cleaning them.


Browsing through the initial pages, he would let out a somewhat bored 'hmm' while reading about the elections. He knew little to nothing about Gotham's new mayor, a somewhat shadowy figure whose promises were absolutely too good to be true. ''Does this witchdoctor really think someone will believe his circus? Laughable'', he commented while continuing to browse through the pages. He was a quick reader and had a rare ability to quickly ascertain what was of some importance to him and what wasn't. Some bombastic headlines, such as gossip about the Cathedral or the news of some strange character named Strange taking over Gotham's nuthouse, weren't of interest to him so he'd just conserve those pieces of information somewhere deep, but close enough if he ever needed them in the future. On the other hand, this Vanguard character was of big interest to him. ''He seems to be at it again, huh?'', he wondered as he read through the ink, pondering about the fact that this city actually allowed for a righteous vigilante. This city was built on blood, he knew that all to well, and it was very strange for him to see the City herself allow someone like him inside her. He would've thought someone like him would be devoured in a matter of seconds. Sure, he looked like RoboCop, but no one was that naive, not even in Gotham. A man in a fancy dress... was he going to be a problem? Sure, he supposedly hindered one of his attempts earlier on, but it was a small-time job done by a small-time pickpocket who failed miserably and went on to pick the pockets of the sharks in Gotham Sea World... or, well, they picked his. But, nevertheless, trusting that idiot was his own mistake and he wasn't all that surprised that Nancy Drew over here managed to hinder his plans. But, did he have the ability to deal with bigger fish? Certainly not, that would be hilarious. He knew Gotham all to well and it was just a matter of time before the City turned on their favourite new vigilante, declaring him a rampaging marauder destined for the gallows or Arkham. Perhaps this strange Strange guy would fancy a meeting with him, who knows? ''Well, this will have to be taken care of, but not know. Now we have more important things to do'', he said, closing the newspaper.


He finished his meal, put on one of his favourite black and white combinations, took his penguin-head cane and waltzed to his office. The view from the Iceberg Lounge wasn't all that enlightening, but it provided for a nice landscape that suited his somewhat avant-garde aesthetics. There wasn't much work to do, at least not official business, he knew that, which meant he had time for something more interesting. The Iceberg Lounge attracted a lot of different clients and it was necessary to ensure their best interests, especially with vigilantes running across town. ''Hmm'', the only sound he made observing Gotham from his office, looking at Her as if she was a cage, as if he was somewhere in the open and She was entrapped in her own madness. Oh how he pitied Her; such a glorious idea turned to scrap iron and concrete fixed with thickened blood and held together only by the delicate strings of sheer, utter madness. He was already the King Penguin of this town, but that was not enough. That was not going to help Her. He needed to do more, much more in order to achieve his goal and that much was clear. With his hands in his pockets, his blue eyes fixated on Her and look of sheer determination, Oswald Cobblepot once again reminded himself that, in order to rebuild this city's spine, he first had to break it completely.


''Butch!'', he called out for his gorilla-like thug. A loyal man; stupid, but highly effective. He possessed that kind of pragmatic persuasiveness Oswald lacked and although Oswald could manage without him, Butch would have things done an awful lot quicker. He liked him. ''Yes, Mr. Cobblepot?'', the man appeared, friendly as always towards his boss. ''I seem to be lacking any major work today so it would be a great opportunity to talk security. I understand young Bruce Wayne's company is currently top of the list in that department. Could you give them a ring and have them send someone... important... over here to discuss that? In an hour, perhaps?'', Oswald asked with a gentle manner that always seemed contrasted to the somewhat bird-like voice he had. It wasn't gruesome or something like that, it was just a little under-mutated. Without a glimpse of doubt on his mind, Butch nodded and exited the office.


Oswald went on to lock the doors and returned to his desk. Pressing a few buttons, he summoned The Penguin, and a connection was soon established. All he needed to do is wait for the answer. This job was important to him and such things are handled only by the best and as far as he was concerned, the best was - Deathstrike!

***

​

prof. Hugo Strange

​

Seven o'clock. His suit and lab coat ready, his shoes clean as always. His glasses in his pocket, just in case. The files for today on the desk, now in his hand. Hugo Strange was on his way. ''Arkham Asylum was in ruins. Quincy Sharp was a bothersome imbecile incapable of running an automated balloon factory and he left such chaos that I am in the right mind of filing an official complaint against him. Once a grand institution, a pioneer in mental care, Arkham Asylum is reduced to a local nuthouse housing only those that even this wretched City failed to digest in some weird way. Ghastly! Terrible! But, why complain, my dear Hugo? Where else in this murky world would you be able to achieve greatness? Where would you be able to study upon your cases? This was a good day!'', he thought to himself.


His patients were fine, well, as fine as they could be under the circumstances. The depressed Mr. Parker was still alive and not crying about his dead, yet non-existent, brother; Mrs. Lovecraft managed to reduce her delusions to a strange Kraken-like deity she called Cthulhu, not aware that was copying her somewhat famous relative; Mr. Banner's synesthesia reduced to green and purple; and so forth - they were all fine. There was no need for any drastic interventions as his employees, and he had truly picked the best, were able to handle the situation by themselves. He greeted Valentin and Tetch, who were discussing brainwaves and mind control via technological devices, as he passed them in the hall, knocked on Dr. Fries' office as a sign of greeting and went on to locate Jonathan Crane, his new intern. Crane was a promising fellow, but there was something strange about his persona. Strange needed more time, but he would certainly solve that mystery.


While looking for his always hidden colleague, Strange was amazed to see some additions to his collection, as he liked to call his patients. He browsed through his files in order to double check, but he knew they were new. ''What is the meaning of this!?'', he asked one of the doctors, nervous and in a somewhat aggressive manner. ''It was that Vanguard guy, professor Strange. He came last night, you were asleep, put these guys in here and just disappeared. Someone said he hung out in the Greenhouse later on, but nothing happened. These guys seem to be your random schizophrenics and bipolars, nothing of any interest to you'', said Jones, trying to calm Strange down. ''He just waltzed in here? Again!? Where is our bloody security!? I can't have a random vigilante walking inside my Asylum! That is just not right!'', Strange replied, breathing heavily. ''There is really nothing we could've done, professor. Technically, he did nothing wrong'', Jones added. ''Nothing!? Are you insane, dr. Jones? Mad? This institution has an alarm system connected directly to Gotham's Police Department for a reason! Plus, you had the obligation to wake me when he came! You had! This is the last time I will tolerate such behaviour, dr. Jones! Nothing is to happen here without my knowledge, do you understand? NOTHING!'', he said in a grim manner, scaring his colleagues.


Quickly calming down, he bowed slightly and continued on his was. ''This Vanguard fellow is quite intriguing. Entering the premises, brining criminals and patients... it seems he is becoming a regular around here. Interesting, indeed. I would love to explore his mind. No, Hugo, no... I will love exploring his mind. Soon, I will have him somewhere in here... maybe in the East Wing? Mad Dog's room? Or... her's? Oh, stop it now, don't romanticise! Now is not the time, you have to find Crane'', he thought to himself, walking ever so calmly through Arkham's moldy corridors that hid faces of terror and screams of madness. Relating to those screams, he heard a familiar laugh. He quickened his pace and, just around the corner, he found Crane, observing a cell with a malicious satisfaction. ''Crane, what on Earth are you doing? Get away from Mr. Walker's cell! He is a sick man and he needs solitude in order to heal! Really, how did you end up here? And why were you laughing? A laugh in an Asylum is more often a sign of madness than not!'', he said firmly, pulling the intern away from the cell.


He then remembered the Greenhouse. Of course, how could he managed to forget that! He noticed one of the medics, young Paul Taylor, and quickly summoned. Out of both respect and fear, the young man rushed to Strange's call. ''Find me Dr. Isley and tell her to meet me in my office in half an hour! Thanks'', he said coldly and then turned his attention back to Crane, who still had a very disastrous looking grin on his face.

 

[Deadkool]

Robert was doing his morning routine. Making a cup of tea, cooking some breakfast, reading the news. Print media was dead, but he loved the smell of the fresh paper in the morning. Upon reading the article on Vanguard, Robert very nearly burned his waffle. Great, another civilian running around in a halloween and beating up crimnals. So it looked like Robert had a few cases coming his way. The office just loved sticking him with the crazy ones. Well, at least he'd have another story to tell. Currently, he was collecting evidence to prosecute Gotham International. A weapons and infrastructure conglomerate that competed with Wayne Enterprises. Something about fraud, corporate espionage, larceny, and a few other charges. He rolled over to his computer to start a boring day of research and bureacracy.

CiTiZeN GoTHaM

First Broadcast

Breaking News




Although you may not believe it, we have a savior in our midst. Stay vigilant. Gotham will be wounded. For every guardian there will be another murderer, atrocity, destruction. Your boss, your friend, your neighbor. EVERYONE. Is in danger. All of your safety that you've imagined will evaporate in the night. As I said. Gotham will be wounded. It is up to you, loyal Gothamites, to prevent it's death. I leave you with five words as a prediction to come

SAINT, FORTUNE, GREEN, ZOO, HOME

This message was posted on all non-emergency Gotham websites and some major online news sources ensuring it would be spread quickly. It was obvious it's creator knew more than he had said, but for now, the five mysterious words were anyone's guess.​

 

[Yoshiro]

Robert "Kirk" Langstrom


Arkham was a thriving metropolis of inmates and met-humans. You could find every single mental disorder in the book by walking past just ONE cell block. Sure, the place was creepy as heck to most, but that's another reason why Kirk liked it. The appearance spooked even the most hardened criminal, and that thought kept many from committing crimes. Still, however, most did, and ended up either here or at Blackgate. Kirk hadn't ever been to the other facility, but most patients here droned on and on about how they hated it there. From the general census, most would choose Arkham over it any day. The sound of the patient on the operating table brought him back to what was going on before him. "Well now, Mister Nasser, it appears your skin is attempting to shed. Very common for snakes, but uncommon for humans. Of course, you being part snake also isn't common." Nasser groaned in response, obviously in too much pain to acknowledge Kirk's fantastic sense of humor. "Right. Well, I'm sending you down to solitary with a nurse stationed outside your door to check on the shedding process every hour or so. Can't have you screaming your head off in your regular cell, might anger the other inmates. And I do not want such a fabulous subject as you dying on me. See you tomorrow, Mister Nasser." Kirk motioned for one of the nurses to start wheeling him off, guards just behind her. A sigh escaped his lips, and he suddenly felt quite tired. You know, one day they'll let me test on the meta-human patients. It'll really help push my research along, AND help the rest of mankind out. Just think of all the medicinal problems we could solve with my research, all the diseases that won't even exist anymore. The thought brought a smile to Kirk's face, and with that he wrote his report on Nasser's condition.

 

[Xtremenerd]

Crane looked over at Strange. "Yes he is very sick....why waste resources on him? hes a useless limb to society, we dont need him, nobody wants him, he is to sick to even desire to live, why then not, should I not test on him? He's a perfect specimen, my new concoctions must be tested on somebody sooner or later you know, now if you will excuse me I have tests to run and you have other matters to attend to." Crane was thoroughly enjoying himself this for the lecture he had just distributed. He turned back around and started to open Mr. Walker's cell.

 

[Fallacy]

Bruce Wayne

The Wayne manor was decidedly quiet this morning, as was to be expected of a house inhibited by only a single butler and the Wayne heir himself. Said young man was currently still relaxing in the luxury of his own chambers, busying himself with sorting through an album of old, dusty photos. Usually the smiling faces almost identical to his own brought on a wave of indistinct sadness, or even more commonly, a cold unforgiving anger that even scared himself. Today it brought back the hard resolve Bruce had come to terms to, that avenging them meant more then just finding and bringing the killer to justice, it also meant protecting his company, and the city that came with it. Pale fingers flipped one of the age-worn pages, Bruce's hazel eyes landed on one of those long-forgotten photos, one that exhibited a camping trip the Wayne's had went on after one particularly long business trip on his father's part. It had been as freeing as it had been a happy occasion. The lightest glimmers of sadness begin to touch him then, Bruce shutting the book just as promptly as he'd opened it. The urge for just a single sip of the distraction of the whiskey he'd been gifted at yesterday's social event burned through him for a moment, though he pushed the weakness down with a sigh.


Rising from the chaise lounge chair upon which he'd previously rested, the Wayne heir wrapped the silk road more tightly about himself as he strode from the room. His usual semi-formal clothing of a suit and tie was a clothing item he did not wish to wear at this precise moment of his day. It wasn't like he had any social or business engagements today, or at least not until much later; he'd specifically cleared his morning schedule for the very reason of experiencing maximum relaxation. Descending down the staircase with flourish, Bruce winced as the cheerful sunlight that wafted through the open curtains of the window opposite it touched his eyes. The light burned more then it warmed, and Bruce practically ran on bare feet over to the window, shutting the curtains with flourish. It was quiet, strangely so. Alfred's absence touched Bruce's thoughts, a frown knitting his lips downwards as he took his usual seat at the tables head.


Closing slender fingers over the bronze bell, Bruce shook it a couple of times, one lazy motion after the next. The maids that entered entered to a frowning Bruce Wayne. He rarely liked to call on the services of the other houses servants. There being concealed from him was preferred, rather then watching them clamber about the house in desperate service of him. He instead relied on Alfred solely, but said man's absence and the persistent growling of his stomach left him no other choice.


"Breakfast, Master Wayne?"


Spoke the bolder of the two, eyes down-cast with obvious nervousness. A single nod was all he afforded the two before both hurried from the room with a single respectful bow. There entrance was the product of ten minutes, a piping bowl of oatmeal and a newspaper placed before him, the objects being accompanied by yet another bow before the two made there exit back to the solitary of the servant's chamber's. His selected meal was a simple one, oatmeal with a sprinkle of the season's freshest blue-berries. But he preferred to keep it simple rather then the alternative. Out of boredom rather then any real interest, Bruce scrolled through the newspaper, before his eyes fell on the latest big story of the week. The mayor's election.


Interest was replaced with annoyance as he skimmed over the articles words. In spite of the heavy tide of support this man had quickly gained upon his running for mayor, Bruce had thought this man just as corrupt as the rest. And who wouldn't be, running for a seat in the city of Gotham of all places? He'd long since given up hope on any decent person running for the seat. Scrolling through the remaining pages of the newspaper, Bruce briefly looked over the article on Vanguard, a basic repeat of the story of the previous day. Dropping the paper with the light clamor of heavy paper on wood, Bruce took a spoonful of the oatmeal. It was as comfortingly plain as he'd expected.

 

[One Mean Ghost]

Dante's eyes looked up from his work as his secretary spoke through a speaker on his desk. "An associate of Oswald Cobblepot is calling on his behalf requesting that someone important be sent over to his establishment to discuss security measures. He would like someone in an hour." Dante sighed softly. Of course, it had to be a rush. Oh well.. He wondered just what Cobblepot wanted with heightened security... Then again, this was Gotham, nothing really was ever truly safe... Perhaps Mr. Cobblepot just wanted to attempt to make his establishment a little bit safer from the darker side of Gotham...


He moved a hand from his keyboard to the intercom button. "You can tell him that the Head of New Tech Research will be coming to discuss the matter personally, and immediately. Call up the company car. If I walk it'll take me days to get there.." he remarked as he stood up, straightening his lab coat as he checked around the room to be sure he'd have everything he needed.


His head was attached, so that was that.


"Right away, Sir. The car will be waiting for you out front." His secretary spoke once more.


Dante made his way out the door, adjusting his glasses as he passed his secretary's desk. "Hold my calls for me, I'll get to them when I get back. If any rumors about Mr. Cobblepot are true, he's a bit of a stickler for manners, and the last thing we need is for Wayne Enterprises to leave a bad impression on a client" he remarked laughing softly as he headed to the elevator. He pressed the button stepping into the small elevator as it descended to the ground floor.


Outside was a black limousine, the company car for Wayne Enterprises. The driver opened the door for him and he slid into the back, relaxing as the car drove through Gotham's busy streets. Just 45 minutes after the call had been placed, Dante stepped out of the black limo at Penguin's Iceberg Lounge. He strode inside, his lab coat flowing in a trail behind him since he, as usual, left it unzipped. He adjusted the eldredge knot of his tie to make sure it was straight. He made his way to the receptionist. "I am the representative from Wayne Enterprises, Dr. Enferno, head of New Technologies Research. I was informed Mr. Cobblepot wanted to see me?" he inquired. He was well aware he was 15 minutes early, but that always tended to make a good first impression.


At the office, Dante came off as something of an eccentric genius, with moments of being an absolute klutz. Somehow, he managed to keep things on lock when he was with clients though. That was why he had managed to stay Head of New Tech Research.


And now he was about to meet the infamous Oswald Cobblepot in person...

 

[AncientWisemon]

prof. Hugo Strange

​

His opinion on Crane changed drastically from when he took him in as an intern. A quiet, intelligent and sophisticated man turned into a weird character obsessed with discarded patients. His doctoral morale was almost non-existent and he had a very strange way of communicating with patients and colleagues. There was also something in his visage, a somewhat psychotic tendency which he would never clearly express, but was still visible to the trained eye. But, nevertheless, he was a good doctor, a good psychiatrist and he knew the human mindset, which is why he needed the training. ''The only thing that worries me is that he's going to use the training for other purposes'', Strange thought to himself.


''Doctor Crane, may I remind you that this institution is here precisely because of such cases? I will not tolerate such behaviour and comments from you! You are an intern here and you should know your place in this institution. You're still far away from getting your medical degree and seeing how you handle such delicate patients, I must say I am disappointed with your progress!'', Strange said, firmly and with authority. He understood Crane's eagerness, he was a young man after all, but this was not the way things were to be done. ''You will cease this nonsense immediately and locate prof. Valentin. I think he's about to check on his patients so go with him and try to grasp as much information and experience as possible! I will not see you here anytime soon! Now go! Go!'', Strange sent him away with the authority required by his position. He himself then decided to check on Mr. Walker, whose phobia was quite advanced. He took a piece of paper and wrote a short message on it; this was the only plausible way to communicate with patients with such severe automatonophobia and agoraphobia. Mr. Walker always had a pencil and some paper in his cell which, along with the books he ordered and the food that was brought to him, were his only possessions. As his file stated, every initial attempt of live communication caused such chaos that it was necessary for them to locate another way to communicate. Quincy Sharp, who showed some signs of intelligence during his generally failed term, deduced that written messages could be the key and they actually were. Strange could hear the traumatized Mr. Walker scribble from his cell, aware that Crane's presence certainly must have alarmed him. He got his answer soon afterwards.

Is everything alright? I am terribly sorry for the disturbance. One of our interns overstepped his authority. Is there anything you need?


Yes, thank you. I was so scared. Yes, I'm done with my books. Please order a copy of Milton's ''Paradise Lost'' and Kafka's ''The Trial''. Thank you.

Writing the titles into his notebook, Strange sent a quick reply to his patient and headed away. ''Certainly, Mr. Walker is a lost cause, but until we find better use for him, there is no chance I will allow that meddling intern to tamper with my patients! This is MY Asylum and nothing shall be done without my knowledge!'', he thought to himself. As he was heading towards his office to meet Dr. Isley, he almost bumped into one of his younger colleagues that was reviewing the file of one of the more specific patients. Dr. Langstrom was a very interesting young man, exceptionally knowledgeable in his field; one could almost say he was an expert if it weren't for his young age. He seems to have checked on Mr. Mohammad Nasser, a man with a very strange condition; Mr. Nasser was a meta-human, one of several here at Arkham and he was a patient who required extreme care. ''Good morning, Dr. Langstrom, how is Mr. Nasser doing? Well, I trust? Such patients are always interesting. They offer a lot of... perspective... experiment-wise, you know... who knows how we could use their sad fates to better our lives. I trust you have tended to the other ones as well?'', he asked, being especially polite. He liked, if you could actually use that term, young Dr. Langstrom and the latter had, for now, not given him a reason to change his mind.

***




Penguin



​

Butch was quick to inform him that a certain Dante S. Enferno was on his way. ''Right, thank you Butch, your service is much valued. Please, just let him in when he arrives'', Cobblepot said, returning to his thoughts. ''Well, isn't he a symbolic character... I do hope he doesn't bring Cerberus along...'', Oswald thought to himself, laughing at his own humor. He was never a funny guy, he liked things to be taken seriously, but he would amuse himself from time to time with some symbolic jokes or whatnot, but that was mostly for his own, personal benefit.


He opened his laptop and searched for information about his new guest. He was aware of his existence, but since he had no prior interest in him, he hasn't bothered to expand his knowledge. Now that he is going to meet him, it was only fair to get to know his guest as best as possible. ''Hmm... a rather interesting young man... so young and yet so successful. It seems that he has some special abilities that exceed the information provided on him. New technologies, security systems, weaponry, surveillance, vehicles, software... there's nothing this man can't do, it seems. But, there has to be a story behind this... He can't be a hero, no one in Gotham is such a saint without having something he's hiding... except maybe Bruce Wayne, but he's a special story... the Son of Gotham... heh'', he smirked in the end. Dante managed to intrigue him and he was a little anxious to meet him, which only happened on rare occasions. And that reminded him... He quickly took his phone and contacted Wayne Manor. ''Oswald Cobblepot here, just to confirm tonight's meeting with Bruce Wayne? Thank you! See you!'', he hung up. That was taken care off. It was not in his habit to make calls and arrangements personally, but he was informed Bruce Wayne was a little queer when such matters were concerned so he decided to arrange the meeting personally. This was a Wayne-related day - first his employee and now the heir himself. One was going to help him with the security of his establishment and the other was to help him secure the city. The Cobblepot fortune and the Wayne enterprise - not even Lex Luthor would be a match for such power. But still, some things needed to be taken care of before that merger; some screws were still loose.


A full 15 minutes before time, Oswald Cobblepot was informed that his guest had arrived. A smile escaped his face and he rushed, somewhat amazed by his own behaviour, to greet him personally. He was a handsome man, definitely not suited for his position, which increased Oswald's suspicion that there had to be something more behind the facade he was selling to the public. ''Oh, this will certainly be an interesting meeting'', he thought as he approached his guest.


''Mr. Enferno, I presume? Oswald Cobblepot, glad to meet your acquaintance! Please, enter, make yourself at home!'', he said as he invited him to his office and offering his hand. ''Did my men cause you any trouble? I hope not. They're used to a variety of guests and they can be leave brutish impressions, but they're not that dangerous. Plus, you don't seem like they would scare you'', he said in a friendly manner, referring to his physique. ''Please, take a seat. Could I offer you anything? A drink, something to eat? Although this is just a lounge, I assure you, we have everything at your disposal'', he added, smiling.


''I don't know how knowledgeable you are regarding my business, but, in short, I am an entrepreneur specialised in managing hotels, casinos, clubs and bars. The Iceberg Hotel and this lounge are my most famous assets. Also, you must be aware that this noble City is not the most secure place in the world. When you attract such wealthy guests as I do, you must guarantee their safety even in a place such as Gotham City. I suppose you know what happened to the Waynes, although you must have been very young at the time, but such events have shown that this City needs protection and I do hope we can agree on that. As one of Gotham's leading entrepreneurs, it is my duty, you see, to guarantee a certain degree of security to both its guests and its citizens. Every location in this city owned by me has a reputation of being exceptionally safe and the staff under my employment is, I assure you, the best you can find in the area. But, some recent events have shown us that old-fashioned methods just aren't enough, you see. Criminals are becoming smarter and Gotham is, sadly, adapting to them rather than resisting them. That is why I have summoned you here, as Wayne Enterprises is the leading innovator in the field of security and you are, I trust, the head of that department. In short, what I would require is a stronger, modernised security system able to handle even the most clever of villains and vigilantes. Money is not an issue here, so you needn't worry about that, but I want only the best for my clients as they are important to me. Of course, if my discussion with your boss goes as planned, the whole City could benefit from our cooperation, Mr. Enferno. I trust you understand the difficulty of the situation and the need for such measures, so I ask you - how can we help each other?'', he asked him, smiling. It has begun.

 

[One Mean Ghost]

Dante shook Mr. Cobblepot's hand as he entered the office, adjusting his glasses as he took everything in. Oswald seemed to be a rather amicable man, but just as Cobblepot had suspicions about Dante, Dante had suspicions about Cobblepot..


He couldn't quite place why, but something about the well dressed man seemed off. But of course, now was not the time for such concerns...


Dante blinked showing momentary confusion when Cobblepot suggested he wasn't afraid of the guards. It seemed Dante couldn't figure out why he shouldn't have been afraid, but as Mr. Cobblepot continued, Dante listened. At last, it seemed it was his turn to speak.


"I'll admit, prior to my arrival I did not know too much about your establishments, and with the rush to get here I did not get to do the usual background research." He began, moving to sit in a chair but miscalculating, his rear end hitting the floor instead of the chair.


"Ahem... forgive me.." his cheeks flushed just a little as he adjusted to sit in the chair before continuing. He adjusted his glasses to try and regain composure.


"As I was saying, I may not know the particulars of your enterprise, but I know all I need to. You want top of the line security." He remarked tapping his chin thoughtfully.


"But you sent for me, and 'top of the line' is something I just can't offer... You see, I design solutions specifically tailored to the needs of our clients. Nothing comes 'off the line' when I'm involved. That is why Wayne Enterprises security far exceeds 'top of the line'" He remarked, chuckling softly before his glasses slipped to the floor.


He bit back a curse as he felt around for them before slipping them back on, clearing his throat before continuing, trying to regain composure.


"Now, I cannot comment anything on my employer or any deals you may have with him, I hope you understand that is simply above my pay grade... But as for security measures for your establishments, that I can do." He remarked, cleaning his glasses with his lab coat.


It seemed to become abundantly clear that this man, for all his looks and brains, was an absolute klutz.... He could talk well, but it seemed he could hardly sit in one place without dropping his glasses. He tried to cover it as best he could though. Many clients noted that Dante was a tad skittish, and rather clumsy, but his product always exceeded expectations.


"I actually have a system I'm working on now that may be precisely what you're looking for. Features include special cameras you can hide just about anywhere. Not a corner of your establishments would be beyond your sight. I also highly recommend a new type of bulletproof glass we have developed. It's capable of handling most explosives, real military grade stuff. Last but not least, I can throw in a lockdown protocol if you want to be sure intruders can't escape with any ill gotten gains." He remarked thoughtfully.


"Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg of what our security can do, if money is truly no object" he smiled politely. He j


ust barely managed to stop his glassses from slipping off again..


Despite his ... lack of grace... clearly Dante was well deserving of his position....

 

[TrueBananaz]

Pamela Isley

​

Pamela kneeled down in her garden looking at the flowers she had just planted. She smiled at the plants happily and then got up. She started turning around and walking away but to her surprise, her father was standing there.

​

"Hello!" Pamela said "What can I do for you?"





"We've got a new group of inmates. I was wondering if you'd like to meet them." Mr. Isley crossed his arms.


Pamela simply nodded and walked pass her father. Well, not without giving him a hug first. She gave him a hug and then went to go find Strange. She knew that he didn't just let his workers visit inmates so she would ask for permission first.

 

[Xtremenerd]

Crane glared at Strange with a look of evil anticipation, as if he were waiting for something bad to happen to him. "Fine", he scoffed. "If you want to get in the way of progress and waste your time on a retarded man who has no hope of recovery fine!!!!" Crane walked off toward professor Valentin, He then proceeded to go after professor Valentin, whistling all the way. He walked past several cells containing his former test subjects. One was sitting on his hands, comatose. Another was blinded by the gas and constantly screaming that there were spiders inside of him. Yet another, who now perceived all the employees as green monsters, sat in the corner of his cell, shivering with fear. Crane gave an evil look to all of them, he had grown quite proud of his accomplishments here, and with the exception of Strange, he thoroughly enjoyed the people here. Some he could torture, others he could observe. His fellow co-workers thought nothing of him, rather than a possibly delusional man who would end up on the other side of a cell one day in Arkam. He eventually found professor Valentin and watched as he interacted with the patients. It was quite boring and a total waste of time in Crane's view.

 

[chaoticbards]

The streets were already packed and filled, cars honked at each other, and she was pretty sure fights are in the alley ways. The Gotham City Police Department building never looked gloomier, for prisoners who awaited trials aligned the cells. Some even gnawing at the metal bars that they could reach out to, if it wasn't for the hand cuffs that were clasped on most of the law benders. The hand cuffs chafed into the skin, making it raw and ugly until it starts to bleed if they are that stupid to continue to mess with it. The woman stood for a lot of things, but this was insane. It seems that the detectives couldn't give a damn about any conditions, they're were obviously officers who needed a check in line and to be fired, and somebody spilled her fucking coffee already. If physically possible, Naomi's ears would have puffed out smoke.


Naomi marched straight through the building, and into the commissioners office. He had his feet up on the desk and an array of food piling up on top of each other, giving a nasty odor. No wonder why the officers and other detectives strayed away from this commissioner. The guy was a complete slob and he bought his way into power. The blonde clenched her fists, twitched her eye, and took a few deep breathes.


"I want you out of my office, your badge and gun, and to clean this fucking mess off my goddamn desk now," Her voice practically boomed. Obviously alarmed, the man shifted and glared daggers into Naomi's eyes, challenging her. Naomi cleared her throat, walked over, and socked him right in the jaw. "Don't make me repeat myself," she growled. The dead beat man winced from the hostile tone, quickly giving her what she wanted and cleaning up, then getting the hell out of the police building. By now, she had the entire attention of the whole building. Naomi walked out of the room, it needing some air freshener to be quite honest.


"I'm your new commissioner. You don't like me yet? Hit the road or warm up to me. Things will be really rough if you all get on my bad side. In five minutes I want all officers and detectives lined up. Time to decide who's really here for Justice or just some lazy slack who got lucky in college,"

 

[chaoticbards]

Ah, the lovely thing of mischief. Something that will play a role in almost everything in her life, and anyone who likes a little buzz to appreciate the mornings. Currently, you think that any sane person would be at their job. Or at home, working around the clock to fill in some sort of quota on the computer. At least, you wouldn't expect anyone to be in a black and partial red to be climbing up the IceBerg Lounge. Mattie hummed to herself as she continued to scale the large height of the area, a small laugh forming under her breath. Mattie just wasn't very normal, was she?


Under the persona of Misgal at the moment, she had taken a short 'break' at her job to retrieve the intel and drive Oswald mad. At least, Anarky wanted her to sneak in, grab specific files, then get out, not so hard, right? Surely she couldn't go straight through the front doors so climbing up the side of a building was the next best thing to elevators. Mattie jumped across a ledge, her hands gracing the area of cement as she pulled herself up. She whined a little, scraping and cutting her finger tips from the rough surfaces, but continued and adjusted to the pain. Mattie eventually reached the floor which she was directed that files where located. She cut a circular whole into the glass which was very stereotypical for any recon mission but also humorous if you caught her drift.


She pushed it inwards, quickly catching it to remain silent. She gently placed it on the ground, stepping over it to avoid the glass shattering. Immediately she began her search for information, reading over text quickly and stuffing it into her satchel if it matched a brief description. After raiding the files for a ten to fifteen minutes, she went over to the computer. The computer was conveniently logged on and on the page of some adoption of pets website, specifically on a adorable kitten. Mattie started her search through the computer to find that a heavily guarded file remained on it. Seeing as she couldn't blow the computer up to get the file like any sane person would do, she probably stayed there for fifteen more minutes. Mattie groaned, making choking motions with her hands at the computer along with a mutter of mixed sounds of aggravation. She didn't have time for this. She took the computers memory chip along with USB's, just in case. Shoving them into the satchel, she smirked as she walked out of the room. Surprisingly, she walked through the ways easily before coming across the scene of Oswald and some other hot guy talking.


"Well shit," she mumbled, knowing that the guy had seen her, from sitting across from Oswald and clear view of her figure. Might I say, she wasn't very stealthy at this point. Mattie walked up and put bunny ears behind Oswald's head with two fingers, smirking under the bandana. "Sorry to crash your little session," she said, in a mock apology.


"Ooo, Cobblepot, when'd you get men as cute as him," she smirked, straddling the man he was talking to. The smeared and heavily applied black eyeliner and eye shadow defined her eyes, which pierced through as a thought of challenge.

 

[AncientWisemon]

Penguin

​

''A funny man. Completely lacking in social intelligence, but with an attitude. I like him'', Oswald thought to himself as he observed his guest. He rushed to help him each time he had one of his little ''accidents'', but the young scientist managed to cope with them so quickly that Oswald deduced it was his usual modus operandi. He was obviously a clumsy figure and used to such outbursts, so there was no need for Oswald to intervene, despite him not being used to such guests. At one point, he started to laugh in a friendly manner, wanting to make Dante feel more comfortable. ''I see I will have to talk to my carpenter about these chairs. It seems they cause people to fall'', he added with a smile. ''Just make yourself comfortable, imagine this office being your own home'', he added.





''Regarding Mr. Wayne, I completely understand. I must add that we have not discussed anything yet, but we have a meeting scheduled tonight and if all works well, your cooperation will be essential, I assure you. But, we don't want to get you into any trouble'', he said. He listened to all of his proposals with great interest, agreeing with every word. The man was obviously an expert and he seemed to know what he was talking about, despite hitting the floor on several occasions. He was also capable of deducing Oswald's needs.





''Yes, I must say you know me quite well, although this is our first meeting. I salute your expertise, Mr. Enferno and honestly hope that this is only the beginning of a marvelous cooperation. It is necessary to offer the people the best service possible and in order to do that, one must work with the best. I do think we agree on that. Regarding the three things you mentioned, please do place an order and as far as the rest is concerned, I would really love to see what you had in mind. I can't stress it enough that money is absolutely no problem and I am willing to pay whatever you need for the security of my guests. Also, I am willing to invest in further development, but I suppose that is something I would discuss with your boss, right?'', he replied to Dante's offer. As far as security was concerned, Oswald was not kidding when he said money was not the issue. Not that it ever was for him, but when security was at stake, he was prepared to cash out even more then one would expect. ''Tell me... I am a lawyer by profession, my knowledge of science is pretty basic, with the exception of some more profound knowledge of quantum mechanics, but I was always a very curious person and I am very interested in seeing what you actually do in your lab. You must be a wizard with all those achievements! Would it be possible for me to visit you at your workplace once? Whenever's convenient and under your conditions of course...'', he asked.





But, before Oswald got his answer, he noticed something strange going on in the room. Dante's expression changed and Oswald was very well aware that something was off. His suspicion was soon confirmed when he heard a female voice behind him, mocking the whole situation. From what he could tell from her voice - she was young, borderline mad, audacious and arrogant. Not knowing whether she was armed, but presuming she wasn't (''She would have threatened us already'', he thought), he pushed his mobile chair aside with his hands and found himself beside a very chaotic young girl that seemed to be in possession of his data. ''Luckily I don't keep anything important here'', he thought to himself, but pretended being shocked in order to play along. ''What is the meaning of this? Who are you?'', he asked firmly. ''Miss, I don't know how daring you think you are, but I do hope you are aware of the number of guards in here. Are you sure you're up to the task?'', he asked her calmly. He wasn't about to lose his temper over a mad child stealing irrelevant data; it would be useless. She was a kid, there was no real threat coming from her. It was actually good she came at this very moment as it would prove to Dante that his request was genuine and that he had a valid reason for it.

 

[One Mean Ghost]

Dante scarcely heard the last part of Cobblepot's speech. He had mentioned something about an order and asking to see his work, but he was distracted by the young female who sauntered in and quite brazenly straddled Dante's lap.


The young scientist's face turned a very bright shade of red. At first, he had assumed her to be on Cobblepot's payroll, perhaps as a 'something extra' to encourage Dante to work hard. But Cobblepot's reaction indicated otherwise.


"I...ahem... I can....uhh... see why you wanted tighter se-security.." he stammered out, seemingly caught completely off guard as wide eyes looked at the strange woman.


Someone give Dante an Oscar....


There was no seeing past his facade. He was, as it happened, memorizing every detail of this theif for later.


On all outward appearances, he looked just like an incredibly flustered and embarrassed young man.


"I... umm... can I h-help you Miss....?" He stammered out as his wide, shocked eyes gazed into the intruder's.


If the vigilante thing ever got dull... Dante could easily secure a job in Hollywood...

 

[chaoticbards]

"Damn, I was hoping for a better reaction," Mattie chuckled under her breathe, gently running a hand down his chest. "Nah, just breaking and entering. Didn't expect to find a cute guy in his business affairs, but I love surprises," she grinned. Mattie stood up on the chairs arm rests easily, doing a front flip and landing in a crouched position before popping back up and quickly turning around. Mattie cracked her knuckles rather loudly to empathize that she was pretty prepared for anything.


"Oh, your guards? I've been getting a tinsy bit bored with keeping myself a secret," she waved her arm, as if it was a trouble not needed. She hadn't touched a guard since she got into the building. "Hell, it be a show if you want one if you send them in here," Of course, this wouldn't stop her from starting up a fight. "I'm not really a person you wanna worry about. I'm a person you want to fear," she chuckled darkly, swiftly throwing a dagger that cut just a few strands of Oswald's hair clean off.


"I did some exploring," she hummed, going through her satchel and shrugging. "And borrowing. I mean, you won't need this stuff, right? You probably have a lot more copied on your computer," she held in a snicker, knowing that she had taken the computers hard drive and memory card. Maybe she should've just taken that instead of the files as well. Oh well. Even though as if she wasn't on her guard, she was aware and alert of her surroundings.

 

[AncientWisemon]

Penguin

​

''Yes, you see what I was talking about. These people tend to get more clever and I need a system that is more clever than that'', Oswald replied to Dante's reaction as if nothing strange was happening. One could easily think it was all staged by Cobblepot himself, but the businessman had absolutely no clue about the girl and her reasons for being there. Yet, he was not aroused. He smiled at her, quite gently, even after the dagger had almost killed him. ''She has precision, that much is clear. She aimed so close in order to scare me. Lovely'', he thought to himself.





As the girl was busy with his guest, obviously flirting, Oswald used the opportunity to grab the dagger that so unfortunately landed in one of his cupboards. He was quiet enough and he soon found himself holding that rather dangerous, yet primitive instrument. ''She obviously doesn't belong to a highly sophisticated organisation. More like a street gang or something similar. Very effective, but cheap and almost vulgar'', he thought as he examined the weapon. He was an expert fencer and although a dagger was quite different, he was handy with all sorts of blades. What he lacked in physique, he added to his weapon skills. Observing the girl and the scientist, he aimed carefully. Dante was taller than her so his head was Oswald's bull's eye, but his target was completely different. ''Duck!'', he said to Dante and threw the dagger directly at him, just above the girl's head, cutting her bandana in two.





It was a moment of confusion certainly, as his precise throw revealed a rather beautiful face that almost, for a moment, paralyzed Oswald, reminding him of Her. But, there wasn't any time for that. He quickly jumped over his desk and grabbed the girl, throwing her to the ground. As stated, he wasn't all too strong, but he was agile and fast and his reflexes were excellent. ''I suggest you pick up the data she stole, Mr. Enferno, I don't think this little bugger will allow as a second chance'', he said leaning towards her. She was something, very exceptional and she really did look like Her. Composing his thoughts, he smiled at her. ''Miss, would you mind telling me who sent you here? And why? Who exactly are you working for? Maybe I could help your employer personally. That way, we'd all avoid unnecessary bothers like this one'', he said, observing her angered visage.


(@Juliesweetz I hope you don't mind the small god-mod, but I did her no harm. It was just to increase the scene's realism. If you want, though, I'll edit that part)

 

[One Mean Ghost]

Dante watched, seemingly in awe as the woman worked. Now, Dante's reactions couldn't be as fast as the two others in the room. That would give him away. Luck was on his side, his glasses slipped off and fell to the floor. He bent to reach them just as the dagger narrowly missed his head and he faceplanted rather ungracefully in shock.


He pushed his glasses back on his face just in time to see Cobblepot toss the girl to the ground at his instruction, he picked up the dropped bag and moved towards the wall out of the way, acting much like a frightened animal in his mannerisms at this point.


"So a s-system more c-clever than this.... g-got it..." Dante managed to stammer out, seemingly stilll flustered from the girl's very obvious flirting, even more so now that her face was revealed and her beauty could be appreciated.


Or, more appropriately put, documented as Dante adjusted his special glasses, the mini camera silently capturing her image for later use.. of course, there was no way it would have been noticed...

 

[Deadkool]

Robert





Hmm. Robert had found some very interested files. Oswald Cobblepot himself caught up in some very...unsavory business. It seemed Gotham International, Iceberg, all of it was linked. Oh, this was the kind of juicy stuff that got you to national cases. Robert sent an email over to his secretary to keep the files on hold. Before he got to that, Robert still needed to deal with Vanguard. Let's see, multiple counts of murder, first, third, and second degree. Manslaughter, Assault and Battery, Robbery, Breaking an Entering, Theft, Grand Theft, Domestic Disturbance, Disturbing the Peace, Loitering. This guy's rap sheet was huge. Robert figured he'd pursue the murder charges, theft, breaking an entering, and assault. Security camera footage would provide him with all the evidence he needed. Not to mention a few dozen eyewitness account. If they ever caught this guy, a cell would be waiting for him. Robert decided to take a break, he shut off his computer and headed down to a cafe he liked to do some writing.

 

[chaoticbards]

Of course, since the major mascara and eyeliner covered her eyes, it was still fairly difficult to tell who this woman was. She wasn't born in Gotham either, only making e search even more discount for her identity for she was left by Haly's circus. Hell, she was taken from the hospital, only her infant picture remained documented by the government! Well, other than Haly's circus' photos from when she preformed. They are located in older newspapers however. Difficult to find indeed. Not to mention, her age was nine through fourteen or fifteen."Motherfucker!" She yelled, bending her hands back as to go into a bridge only to use that to propel herself forward, and up off the ground. Now, she coursed with anger as she quickly turned around, putting another bandana on the conceal her face again. Yes, she carried two, just in case of accidents like this.


Mattie glared daggers at Oswald, approaching him and sending a punch to his facial area. She kneed him twice in the gut, before turning around and sending a harsh uppercut to connect with his chin. He could dodge them, or be dropped dead to the ground from her blows. She rather violently shoved him to the ground, as he had done to her. Mattie had to many people walk over her in the past, she wasn't ready to let him do it. "I don't have an employer," she sneered the word out. "Agreements aren't fucking necessary. Listen, whoever you are, do not trust him," she pointed at Oswald, looking at Dante. She snatched the satchel quickly back up since it wasn't in Dante's possession.


(It wasn't really god mod at all! Oswald, as we know him, is a underestimated man by many. He could totally do that in this situation. I'm sorry this took so long, for some reason, the website didn't like telling me when you guys replied.)

 

[AncientWisemon]

Penguin

​

''Oh, she's agile. And she packs a punch'', Oswald thought to himself as the girl shoved him to the ground. Although he managed to block some of her attempts, he was probably going to have bruises after this little encounter. As he observed his companion lose the satchel once more, he could not but smirk sarcastically as to his incompetence. It seemed to him rather odd that a man with such a physique was such a coward. Clumsy, perhaps, but a coward? That seemed rather unnatural and Oswald started to wonder as to why he would be playing his little game. He stood up, took care of his clothes and regained his posture observing the mad hamster of a girl, smiling. Suddenly, he started laughing, more to himself and more in the manner of smirking, but certainly confusing his guests.

''You know, I never expected any street gang to be so... daring'', he said during his laughter. ''And of course you do not have an employer, little girls tend to be that informed and so organised. But you are quite agile miss, I must admit you that, almost as if you worked with the circus!'', he said with a menacing look and with an initial dose of sarcasm. ''But, I'm afraid this little game has come to an end. I am a busy man and I am sure my guest would tell you the same. Time is very valuable for the both of us and your small-time games are fun to some degree, but we've crossed that line now'', he said calmly.





''I guess they will be confused, but... to hell with that, this bickering has become pointless'', he thought to himself as he approached the main door. He opened them wide and calmly returned to his desk, positioning his mobile chair and taking a seat. ''Now, little girl, you are left with three possibilities. You can wait here and I will call my guards in. You might be quicker and more agile than them, but machine guns tend to disable those advantages. You could hardly dodge a hundred bullets. In that scenario, you are dead. If you decide to wait here, I could also call the police, in which case you will be arrested. In both those cases, I get my data back. But, as you have sparked my interest to some degree, I will allow you to freely walk out of here. The guards will not react to you unless I give them an order. The door is open. You can leave and I suggest you pick that solution. You will be unharmed, you get to keep your loot and make your boss happy and we can get on with out business'', he finished with a smile, looking at the girl with some sympathy. His offer was sincere, that much could be read from his facial expression.


If she were rational, she'd certainly pick the third option. But, she was obviously chaotic and her reaction was unpredictable. Expecting she might do something other, Oswald subtly drew out a gun he had in his desk for such occasions, hiding it from their view, but ready to fire it if necessary. He was an excellent marksman and the girl, with all her agility and speed, wouldn't be able to dodge him from such a small distance. ''In the best case scenario, she'll end up in Elliot's surgery; in the worst case, she'll end up in Arkham...'', he pondered as he observed the scene.

 

[AncientWisemon]

prof. Hugo Strange



​

Strange was genuinely proud of his young colleague and glad to have him among his staff. He had the mind necessary for being a good doctor and he put it excellent usage. ''I must admit I'm amazed by your resourcefulness, Dr. Langstrom. Mr. Nasser's condition is one of exceptional interest and it has to be handled with patience and care. Along with those, you have shown ingenuity in your approach and that shan't go unnoticed on your monthly report. I would like to see the result of your treatment of Mr. Nasser by the end of the day. Also, I would like you to join me for a discussion around 9 P.M., if that suits you, in my office. There is something I'd like to discuss with you that I think will interest you'', he said. Listening to the rest of his report, he couldn't but smile, pleased with the situation. A giant leap forward from some of his older colleagues. His report was interrupted by an alarm, and Strange nodded with acceptance, thus praising Kirk's work ethics. ''I completely understand. Tend to your patient and I hope we'll have more time later today. Have a nice day'', he said calmly.


The short discussion with Dr. Langstrom lifted Hugo's spirits after such disgraceful behaviour by Dr. Crane. He was a man of order; in his system, everyone needed to know their place. He smiled to himself thinking of how young Kirk Langstrom respected his wishes and acted accordingly. That made him happy, or, at least, it made him very close to actually being happy. On the other hand, he frowned when he thought of Crane, that insubordinate character who could well be on his way out of Arkham. If only he wasn't so prolific with his studies, Strange wouldn't have a doubt in his mind, but his meritocratic tendencies didn't allow him to sack the child in such circumstances.

As he walked towards his office to meet Dr. Isley, he found her walking in the same direction. He greeted her with a nod have her a gesture with her hand as to follow him. He invited her to his office, offering her a seat. Professional as always, Strange was aware he left a rather intimidating impression on his subordinates, but he was also aware that it was the only way of achieving perfection. He was the current Warden and his position needed to be respected properly. Allowing a more lenient approach resulted in cases such as Jonathan Crane and he wasn't going to allow more of those. Strange seated himself opposite Dr. Isely, browsing through some of his papers and writing some notes before directing his attention towards her. He smiled, although it left an unnatural impression, he was sure of it.


''Dr. Isley, I trust you know why I have called you here. No? It has come to my attention that a rather interesting character visited our fair institution the other night. He seems to be known as Vanguard and he's regularly bringing new people in here as if he were the bloody postman! Although I do not have a problem with dangerous people being removed from the streets, this is, by all means, no way to do it! One can't allow for vigilantism, not here! It will lead to chaos and disorder and that is not something we'd want here, am I correct? So, as to you being here. It has also come to my attention that this Vanguard character spend a fair amount of time in your Greenhouse, near the East Wing. I would like to know why and what he did there during the time'', he explained with in a cold manner, stressing the need for control and order several times.


(NOTE: The reply by @Xtremenerd was disregarded here as he was asked to alter it a little)