Batman stood over the dead body that was now covered in rocks. In the wet dirt scrawled next to the make shift grave were the words, "Alfred Pennyworth, faithful butler and loyal friend to the Wayne family for many years." Batman knelt down next to one of the only men that he had known all his life and whom he really cared about. "I promise you Alfred, I wil find a way to change this, I promise." Making the sign of the cross and getting up, former Millionaire Bruce Wayne made his way out of the clearing that now housed the grave of a greatman, and walked slowly back to the smoldering remains of Wayne Manor. Alfred was another victim of the Joker. Batman had let him slip long enough, now the Clown Prince of Crime would pay.
----
Stepping through the still smoking wood and walls of the Mansion was like swimming through a lake of dead memories for Bruce. Playing with Tommy in a living room that was now just a few crumbling walls and a lot of ash. Coming home with Alfred after his parents were murdered and crying himself to sleep in an upstairs room that now, wasn't even there. That one hurt the most. So much that tears sprung to his emotionless eyes, so much so that he slammed his fist into a wall, making it crumble under the sheer force, and sending a mixture of dust and ash everywhere. That ash coated Bruce's suit, giving his usual blue and gray suit, a look of pure gray, gray and sadness. Now my own suit is coated with a layer of my memories, he thought. My own dead memories.

~

The evil clown known as Joker sat in his getaway car after just devastating Wayne Manor, cruising towards the city. "I killed Alfred Pennyworth, and just let me say, his self defense? It wasn't worth a penny like his last name says. Hehe. But best of all, I know Batman's secret identity. . . . Bruce-freaking-Wayne! The Dark Night who has haunted the Crime World of Gotham for years now is actually the irresponsible Millionaire Playboy, Bruce-freaking-Wayne! . . . . Who would've guessed?"
The rest of the ride was Joker talking about the battle that just took place. So when he and a bunch of his goons pulled up to Town Center in their Jet-Black Limo, he only had this to say. "Well, I guess it's time to claim our rightful place as the law in this city! . . . . . Gotham is going to be sooooo much better!"

Barbara was taking, what would soon be, a very short break. She'd been working at the Station, Her father, Commissioner Gordon, was out of the office. He wasn't in it much. Like Babs, he liked to be out on the streets where the action was. Babs believed that he sometimes regretted taking his promotion. Not often, but sometimes, when he was stuck behind a desk delegating tasks for other people to do. But he was getting old, too old to be playing hero. Better he left left it to Batman and to her.
She didn't pay too much notice when there seemed to be a disturbance in the office. Her eyes were fixed to the screen where she was carefully putting up blocks that even the most skilled hacker would have found great difficulty. How would she know? Because she was good at hacking and the program she was devising would keep the vermin out of the police computers. It would also give her direct access without anyone noticing. After all, what was the point unless there was a backdoor? Besides, it was useful to give information to Batman before the light even shone in the sky.
The Bat-Signal.... that had been appearing more frequently these days. More than anyone could count. More than the few of them could handle. There had to be more. There needed to be more good than bad.
The commotion became too much beyond the glass for her to ignore any more and she turned to see people looking worried and also screen footage.
Her father had the screens installed, showing the News Reports from most of the more prominent stations. They were always mute, but the subtitles were on. He said it was nice to know what the media knew and sometimes it helped to decide what to say.
"..... There still is no information how the mass breakout at Arkham Asylum was caused, but the panic in the streets of Gotham is rising. The streets are no longer safe at night or day and all are urged to stay in their homes or to flee. The police will give no comment, apart from to say that investigations are still underway."
Babs rolled her eyes as the woman began to reel off the list of the more dangerous, as if everyone didn't know. There were more criminal in Gotham than ever and now the sociopaths were out too.
She was about to knock on the glass, when the breaking story caught her attention. There was a shot, a distance one, of what had once been a building but had now been destroyed, left as a skeleton of what had been there.
Babs froze, as she caught the words the news reader was saying.
"The Wayne Manor...."
If anyone turned to look, they would have seen the spinning seat, maybe a door slamming, but nothing more. Babs was gone. She was needed elsewhere.

Harley sat in the front seat, next to the Joker in their getaway limo. She smiled excitedly as Jack spoke. "Bruce Wayne is the Dork Knight?! Oh my gawd!" She giggled, "Who would've known? I had no clue! I thought it would've been some nerdy goofball who dresses up as a Bat in tights because he takes comic-con too seriously. Boy, was I wrong!" She listened to Jack talk about the battle that had recently taken place the rest of the ride to their destination. When they finally reached the Town Hall Jack had only said, "Well, I guess it's time to claim our rightful place as the law in this city! . . . . . Gotham is going to be sooooo much better!" Harley clapped her hands excitedly, "Oh goody, I'm so excited! This is going to be a blast!" She looked over at Jack, smiling as she placed her hand on the door handle. She then looked out the window, nearly pressing her face against the glass, looking around for the Dork Knight instinctively. He's probably at his crumbled mansion, moping around... That'll just make taking over Gotham, like, a billion times easier! She thought to herself, smiling excitedly. She continued to look around for the Batman. "This is going to be too easy, Mistah J. Too easy. The Dork Knight is probably still at his mansion, moping around. This plan is genius!" She giggled. "It can't fail!"

Edward sat in his recliner watchin the news "HAHAHAH THIS IS PERFECT WHO WOULDA THOUGHT THAT MULTI MILLIONAIRE BRUCE WAYNE WAS BATMAN HOW PERFECT" The riddler cackled " I applaud you joker I applaud you I applaud you" He said bowing to the figure of the joker on his tv screen. "soon this town will belong to the villains" He said as we wwalked to his costume which he hung up in his closet with care

Poison Ivy was in the center of her oasis she made in the Gotham City park, it was a real jungle inside a concrete jungle, now she could live in peace with her plants, knowing her sanctuary would be impossible to be broken into, the plants would eat basically anyone who she didn’t know. As Ivy was tending to her plants, she saw the Wayne Mansion go up in flames. “Heh, look like Joker put his plan in motion, taking out the billionaire of Gotham City, and Batman was nowhere, life couldn’t be better for Pamela right now. “Now babies, if anyone who doesn’t belong here comes here, you take care of them for mommy ok?” Poison Ivy said to her plants before slowly exiting her paradise, and going onto the street to see what she created. “Ah, its perfect, couldn’t be better.” Ivy said out loud, spinning on her heels. As she was in joy she was almost hit by a car but she jumped out of the way before it hit her, the driver being Barbara, of course Poison Ivy didn’t know that. “Hey watch it! Just because we rule this city doesn’t mean you should be driving crazy!” Ivy yelled, then slowly walking back into the overgrown city park.

(I am so glad your post involved babs leaving the Police Station Lullyn, because Jonathan Crane is soon going to do something very bad to the place)

"Actually, it can." Joker mumbled under his breath, not wanting anyone to hear. And on that note, he opened his door. "Alrightey Gang, let's go take over this Cit-ay. Beginning with Town Center." His henchmen got out with him, and Harley not long after that. Joker and his band of miscreants slowly ascended the flight of concrete stairs leading up to the huge double doors that were the entrance. As they walked up the steps and were nearing the top Jack, out of the corner of his ear, heard one of his newer recruits talking quietly to himself about how badly planned this was and about how many tons of Police Cars were going to swarm the place once they saw the Clown Prince of Crime walk into the place. Joker whirled around and walked down the steps so that he and this 'doubter' were eye to eye.
"Are you saying you doubt me?" Asked Joker, all playing gone.
"N-n-no sir."
"Don't lie to me. I think you were." And Jack brought out a 50. Caliber Magnum, pulling back the safety.
The man nearly screamed. "I'm sorry Joker, I didn't mean to doubt you boss. Really. Please don't kill me. I'm new to this whole 'Crime' thing."
Joker looked him dead in the eye. "See. That's the problemo, I can't have a bunch of newbies following me around in the time where I need experienced people the most." WIth one last look at the henchman Joker pulled the trigger. BANG! And a little flag came out. "HAHAHAhaha." Jack cackled. "I was just kidding." The newbie looked so nervous, Jack just kept laughing.
"Whew. I thought I was a goner for a -"
The Clown Prince of Crime twisted around and jabbed the point of the flag pole straight into the 'doubter' 's gut. Blood flowed openly from the wound and made a pool around the dead man. Jack didn't even glance back as he walked to the top. "Well are we just going to watch the dead man do nothing or are you all going to help take over Gotham?"

(Next post will involve Scarecrow, please don't include the Police or Johathan Crane in any post's)

Harley excitedly got out of the limousine with a smile upon her face. "Oooh, it's so nice outside." She said as she twirled in the moonlight. She then slowly began to walk up the steps, trailing behind Jack. Suddenly, the Joker whirled around and walked back down the steps to face a recruit, one of the newbies. "Uh oh...Trouble already.." She mumbled, sighing a bit. She was about to ask Jack what was wrong, but when she saw there was no smile upon his face, she kept her mouth shut. The Joker then pulled out a gun. At the sight of that, Harley's eyes widened. She stepped back, watching the scene take place. Suddenly, Jack pulled the gun's trigger, and out came a flag. She smiled nervously in relief. I should've known! That Mistah J's such a kidder. She thought, giggling. Harley then turned and continued past the both of them, walking up the steps quietly. She stopped about halfway and turned around to see if Jack was coming, but instead she saw the new recruit dead on the ground with the flag pole stabbed into him. She gasped and stood there for a moment. "Yuck!" Then she covered her eyes, turned, and continued walking up the steps. Eventually, she slowly un-covered her eyes, trying to keep her mind off of that dead body. It was a gross and disgusting sight to see, a bloody man with a flag shoved into his guts.

ooc: I'm also glad that I put that the commissoner isn't there!

When Babs pulled up near Wayne Manor, she could see the paracides and leeches swarming over the place. Reporters, even at the risk of their lives, couldn't resist mayhem, torture and all the other sick little things that they called news.
As she pulled up, on woman in a red suit and gleeming teeth quickly spun on her heels and moved toward her. The quickest lioness makes the kill.
"Miss Gordon," she began, camera already pointing at her like a loaded gun, microphone pushed into her face. The artificial light blinding Babs made the vultures that were now regrouping look like black blurs. "Miss Gordon is it...."
Babs wasn't as official police woman, but she did work for them and she had some authority.
"You ma'am, are tresspassing," she said in cold, clear tones, the kind that worked for many a police officer. "And if you do not move this minute, I will be forced to fine you and seek your dismissal from News @ 9."
The woman looked only momentarily worried. You had to hand it to her.
"I'm doing my job, Miss Gordon," said the reporter.
"You understand that the man you are currently filming has shares in TV broadcasting, right?" said Babs slowly, changing her tone to sweet. She wanted it to dawn slowly. "And of course, if he gets annoyed, he could pull out, losing the networks millions. And what do you think will be their first cuts?"
When Babs reached the gates, there were only tired tracks left to show that any reporters had been there. She pushed the gates open, then shut behind her. They weren't in great shape anymore.
Walking slowly up the drive gave her time to get over the shock and horror and get down to the more important things. She surveyed the area carefully, looking at what had been destroyed and what was salvagable. There wasn't much.
She couldn't see Bruce, but that didn't worry her. Bruce had always been a survivor, a fighter. He'd be somewhere.
"Bruce," she called, carefully picking her way around the stone. "Bru...."
Her eyes fell on some scratching in the dirt, and she moved closer to read the words.
"No...." she said, hand going to her mouth and eyes widening as tears sprouted.

Dr. Jonathan Crane crept through a trashy back alley towards the Police Station. There were many back alleys that wove throughout Gotham City and connected to most of the City's landmarks, you just had to search a little bit for them. A lot of the stupider, lower class criminals that thought they were bad because in an attempt to rob a bank with about four guys they got away with two-hundred-thousand dollars and only lost one man in the process, and then, they drove on a high pursuit chase through the busy, main streets and got caught by the police. But if you used those eyes you were gifted with to search for some unpopulated backstreets, then you could truly make a good escape. And that, was exactly what the controller of fear had planned for today.

Walking towards the back of the Police HQ Jonathan noticed that there were many more officers patrolling the outside of the building than usual, and he would know. Looks like they decided that with the breakout at Arkham happening a few day ago they needed to up the security, with what Joker has planned, I can't really can't say I blame 'em. Walking in a crouch, Scarecrow approached the area where the ventilation ducts were and immediately saw two guards walking back and forth between the area. Guess they don't want anyone sneaking in either. He thought. No problem. Scarecrow slid along the wall parallel to the two men, cloaked in a blanket of shadow. As they both met up in the middle of the ground he suddenly popped out, unsheathing his scythe and getting into a positon to fight. The first man to see him pulled out his Semi-Automatic Dessert Eagle and flipped off the safety with the second guard not too far behind. They arefast, Crane thought. Really fast. Well trained too. But they still weren't fast enough. Scarecrow threw down two bombs filled with his signature "Fear Toxin", and got ready to strike. Both the men suddenly got very scared of each other and moved to beating each other. Fists flew and after about three seconds both men's knuckles were bloodied and sore but they kept fighting. Even as Scarecrow walked up they just kept furiously beating each other.
"Good boys. Now if you would be so kind as to choke each other to death so I don't have to get this perfectly good weapon bloody." Coincidently the first man to have drawn his pistol was also the first to obey, grabbing his comrade by the neck and squeezing his Adam's Apple. His friend was also pretty good and tried to fight back against the life threatening move, but to no avail. He was soon dead with his friend standing there sweating.
Jonathan Crane sighed. "It really is too bad. Quite a dissapointment. I really was looking forward to keeping my Scythe clean. . . . Oh well." And with one swift movement he twirled around and cut the other man's throat, spilling blood all over the concrete walls.

Joker walked in to the Town Center of Gotham City to find that it was heavily protected by a squad of Law Enforcers, S.W.A.T., and the Police.
"Wait outside until you hear a scream." He told the rest of the Criminals helping him. "It won't be long, I promise." And pulling his top hat down over the top half of his head, he walked up to the main receptionist. A woman.
A fake smile spread over her face. "Hello. Do you have an appointment?"
"No." Jack said slyly. "This is a tip off for a crime that is going to take place in about twenty seconds or so."
Her expression immediately changed to serious and she pulled out a pen and a scrap piece of paper. "Where?"
"Here."
She went pale.
"O-Okay. Do you know by whom?"
That's when it happened. Jack took off his top hat that previously had been hiding his face in shadows to reveal a powdered face with curly green hair, a gun in his hand, and a monstrous grin. "Me."
The scream could be heard all throughout Town Center as the bullet pierced her blouse and sent blood squirting through the wound in gut.

Harley stopped and watched as the Joker walked past her, then announced for everyone to stay outside. Smiling excitedly at him, she said "A-okay, Mistah J." She then twirled around to face the rest of the criminals. "Now all we do is wait..." She stepped back and sat down on the concrete step, looking around at all the criminals who were chatting away amongst themselves. Seems like they were more positive with Jack's plan, or pretending to be, after witnessing what had happened to the recruit who had doubted in Jack's plan. Harley then glanced back at the dead recruit, making a face at all the blood that had spilled everywhere. She turned her head away and sighed as she began to draw in the dust and dirt on the dry ground with her dainty finger. First she drew a heart , with 'H.Q + J' in the center of it, then surrounded it with engraved smiley faces and smaller hearts. When she was finished with doodling in the dirt, she then sat back and admired what she had scribbled into the dust. She batted her eyelashes and smiled at the the thought of Jack, her one and only Mistah J. She began to hum a tune as she began to get lost in her thoughts of Jack. Her humming then stopped when her eyes wandered up towards the darkened sky that was slowly being covered up by large gray clouds. The moon was no longer visible. "Hm...Looks like it's cloudin' over...Maybe it's going to rain..." she announced, talking to no one in particular. Suddenly, Harley then heard a blood-curdling scream coming from the inside of the Town Center that had nearly scared the living daylights out of her. She smiled excitedly, finally realizing it was the signal for them to come inside. She then looked around at the rest of the criminals, dusting the dirt off of her black glove. "Well....That's our cue. This is so exciting!" She stood up, brushed the dust off of her costume with her hands, and quickly began to walk towards the doors of the Town Center. She timidly opened the door and peeked in, beaming at Jack with a smile. "Okay to come in now, Boss?"

Bab's didn't have long to mourn the sight. She still had to find Bruce, and her ringing phone reminded her of that, the caller ID being "Dad". Commissioner Gordon had gone out to help at Arkham, to gather more fact and check out more information. She couldn't remember if he'd taken a few good men with him, but his ringing her meant he needed something.
She ignored it. There were more pressing issues now. Besides, if he needed something he could call one of the tech boys back at the station.
Bruce needed her.
Scrambling away over the debris, she looked around for him.
"Bruce," she shouted, not watching for a hand covered in rubble. Only Bruce Wayne would have buried Albert. The others, his apprentices, wouldn't have thought much about that, certainly not enough to mark the ground. No Bruce was alive, and well enough by his work. But where was he?
Her phone rang again, and this time she grew impatient. What was so damn important that he needed her right now? She loved her dad, but he had bad timing.
You're over reacting. He's probably just heard about Bruce and is now letting you know.
She conceded that this was probably the case, but....
The tone went for the third time.
"Babs," she answered, her tone giving off her annoyance, but it vanished the moment she heard her father's voice.
Jim Gordon wasn't afraid to show his family his emotions. He wasn't the kind of man who hid behind bravado and posturing, pretending everything was okay.
But hearing his practically crying on the phone made her heart contract.
"Babs," he said, his voice shaking and relief flooding it. "Thank god. Where are you?"
"I've gone to Wayne Manor. It's all over the news, someone blew it up," she said.
"Yes I saw," he said, but this didn't seem high on his priorities. "Barbara, stay where you are. Please. Don't go back to work, just stay put."
"Dad," she said, her brow furrowing. "What's wrong? Is it mum? Is it....?"
She faded out as his sigh filled the line.
"The station has been attacked. I just heard it over the radio. Scarecrow...."
But Babs stopped listening at that point. she didn't need to hear any more. She was fully aware of what that psycho was capable of.
"I've got to go and do something, but you just stay there, or go home. I love you, honey."
"I.... I love you too, dad," she said, her voice cracking for a moment.
Then he was gone, the line dead.
"Bruce!" she said a lot more fiercely now, moving quicker and with more purpose. After all, they were the city's defence and the city was under attack! Her friends, her entire team, could be.... well it was impossible to guess with the Scarecrow. Gibbering idiots or dead were the highest likely scenarios, but she couldn't go and help them alone. She needed Bruce.

Bruce heard Barbara calling the first time but had just stayed where he was. There were more pressing matters that had been nagging at him all day now. For one, how were they going to get Alfred back? He had been there for the Wayne Family throughout everything, and Bruce could not just let him sit thee and rot in that grave of his. He was getting a vague idea on how to revive him but it hadn't quite formed in his mind. He needed more time, which unfortunately, he didn't have because he also had to stop Joker from . . . . Well, whatever it was Joker had planned this time. As clever and well trained as they were he would need more than just him and Barbara because for some reason, Batman expected that all the criminals had been released for more than to just burn his house. This time, they were up to really something big.
"Bruce!" She yelled, this time with much more intensity. I guess it's time to go meet her. I can think more later. And he walked out of the ruined living room and towards the source of the voice.


Jonathan Crane smiled as he stuck a small but powerful bomb into the machine that circulated AC throughout the entire complex. Fear gas. Really has quite the impact on whoever is exposed to it. Usually they are left paralyzed and when the snap out of the trace are put into a mental facility for excessive gibberish, or just being idiots. But this little dosage, this guy will leave the entire facility in a trance in which they will never snap out of. Whoever is exposed will always be mentally insane. Perfect for Joker's plan. As these thoughts floated around in Scarecrow's head he nimbly programmed the bomb to go off in exactly 20 seconds. Just enough time for him to escape with his brain still functioning.

Gotham City - City Center: 11 PM
Nightwing gazed upwards, his bright blue eyes passing slowly over the massive circle that made up the smooth marble face of Gotham City's clocktower. Thoughts swirled inside his mind, Barbara... how was she? Tim... Was he still in training? And than there was Bruce. How come he hadn't heard from him since leaving Gotham City last fall? Shivering in the cool mid-winter air, Nightwing fiddled with the strap of his frozen grappling hook, genneral annoyance making him curse lightly under his breath. Rubbing the frozen cord, Nightwing continued to re-think the past few weeks, his still-youthfull gaze deepening into a grimace-like frown.
Yells and curses echoing upwards from the streets below jerked Nightwing out of his thoughts. Spinning into action he sprang into a forwards roll, enjoying the cool winter air as it ruffled thorugh his tousled black hair. Perching on the side of an abandon fire escape lader branching out of a decrepet looking apartment, Nightwing narrowed his eyes at the all-too familiar scene burning beneath his gaze.
Cold white snow had begun to drift downwards from the stormy mid-dawn sky, blanketing the dingy back-alley in a slushy brown paste that stuck to the grooved soles of Nightwings boots and squelshed noislily as a troop of low-lifes fired rifles, the rapid quick fire echoing loudly down the thin alley-way. Nightwing didn't even have to glance at them to know that these gangsters were drug-dealers. It was simple- a gang consisting of usualy young men wasting away thier lives in the cess-pool that was Gotham City's north end. Taking aim, Nightwing fired a carefuly aimed Batarang at the arguing men. Rolling into a forwards summersault he kicked out with his left foot before quickly lashing out at an on-comming attacker. A series of rapid fire shots whizzed by Nightwing's head. Leaping into a hasty dive, he rolled out of the line of fire. Bringing his right arm back into a powerfull take-down punch and pummeling into his adversaieries with a general ease.
Straigtining, Nightwing glanced downwards at the two men, each had a bleeding nose and at least a few nicley broken bones to see deal with later.
``Hey, you!`` Whirling, Nightwing found himself grimacing in pain as a carfulley aimed bullet grazed past his left thigh sending a great deal of pain coursing up his leg. ``Get out of here you son of a *****!`` Wincing, Nightwing sighed as he released a capsule of tear gass- harmless but effective, the man soon lay motionless at his feet. Casting a quick look at the unconciosus men, Nightwing moved closer, examining them for peices of I.D. or wallets. Pleased with his night's ``catch`` the young crusader paused only to cuff the drug dealers before melting into the gloomy shadows, blood staining the costume fabric suronding his left leg.
(Continued a.s.a.p. internet problems)

When she saw Bruce appear, she was shaking. Tears were threatening to fall again. First Alfred, now the station. He was a welcome sight, despite the fact she knew he'd be alright, she was glad to see him. Covered in dust and probably more injured than he would let on, at least he was alive.
Before she could help herself, she'd launched herself at him, holding him, as if to make sure he was really there, ignoring the fact that he probably was covered in bruises. Remebering herself, she moved away again, not looking embarrassed, which would have been her normal response.
"Da..... Comissioner just rang," she managed, pretending like the exchanged hadn't existed. "The... they hit the station after I left. He....."
She balled up her hands in anger, her mouth pressed in a firm line. She'd never felt so angry before. Before it was like a game, she supposed, with Dick, Tim and Bruce. Swooping in on bad guys and dragging them to jail. Of course it was dangerous, but it never felt so dangerous. Not really. Injuries brought it home, but they were quickly forgotten when you donned the mask and cape and were grinning at the others beside you. Perhaps it was because they all knew that whatever the danger, Bruce would come to their rescue.
She was glad that Dick had upped and left, though at the time she'd been a little hurt, and glad that Tim and his father, crippled so badly, were taking a vacation. She couldn't imagine little Tim (he wouldn't always be that to her, no matter how old he got), being here now. It was too dangerous.
"What are we going to do?" she managed finally, after the silence had decended, looking to the leader of their band, even though there was only two now, hoping taht Bruce would have some genious plan. He'd always done so before.