Laughing As A Boy In Blue In Pristine Shoes (Batman/DC Quest)

[Dreamland]

Gotham City was a mess.

You would know, as Francis J. Yoker, being a detective for the Gotham Police Department gave you a front row seat in all of the insanity. Even then, growing up as a kid with a drug dealer for a father and an absent mother could have also clued you in.

Your hand rubbed the stubble on your chin, perhaps you would make tacos tonight, you weren't satisfied with the lasagna you made yesterday, it needed more butter.

The smoke from your cigarette rose against the drops of rain that beat down on this cesspool. If only the rain would baptise the filth that littered the street, maybe you'd enjoy your job. Being woken up at three in the morning to see dead bodies and blood that splattered the walls...

Sometimes you wondered if you lived in a fever dream. Metropolis had Superman to deter most petty crimes in it. Where the hell was Gotham's alien that could fly faster than a locomotive?

There you went again, your thoughts always scattered, thinking of multiple things at once.

Your city only had criminals, there was a recent vigilante that tried to mop up some crime. Called himself Bluejay, he managed to take down a few of the lower level gangs running about.

Then he tried going after The Bat.

Jason Todd was found in several pieces in the downtown harbor. Nicely wrapped with a bowtie in the shape of a bat. Symbolism never tired people out, certainly not the most powerful criminal in Gotham. Always had to make sure people knew who did the deed.

No Vigilante lasted long in Gotham. You admired the guts it took to be tired of this shitty status quo, but the same thing happened, they died before they even got anywhere.

Your hand reached out and held onto the man before he fell over. The man jolted and rubbed his eyes and gave you a embarrassed grin. "Ah, sorry Boss. I'm still counting sheep." He chuckled as he joined you under the corner store awning.

"I'm not your boss." you grunted out. This James Gordon kid was too fresh faced for you. The pep in his step and his bright demeanor would alert anyone that he wasn't from Gotham. You had no clue why the idiot transferred here from whatever cushioned suburb he came from.

"So what do you think about the scene, sir?" Gordon questioned as he lit his own cigarette. "Hey!" He shouted as you flicked it out of his mouth and crushed his pack under your shoe.

Smoke escaped from your nostrils. "It's a filthy habit, don't start now. Don't you have a kid on the way?" You wish you didn't know or remember, but he wouldn't shut up about it for weeks. Gordon made sure everyone knew, from the Secretary at the front desk, to Chief Lazlow.

"Ha ha! Yes sir! My little Barbara is supposed to be due any week now." He gushed as you took another drag.

You thought about the crime scene, even though odd murders weren't anything special, this one was different. The bodies, twelve of them, six men and six women. The blood they laid on wasn't theirs, all of them died from asphyxiation with no other noticible wounds. Even then, there were no signs of something used to strangle them, no fingerprints, no rope or cloth.

The blood was also shaped into question marks. Now what kind serial killer would go through the whole process of setting them up this way? It was a show or message, something told you this wasn't someone killing just to kill.

Either way, with little to no leads this case wouldn't go anywhere and you were woken up for absolutely nothing.

"I'll split your head open with a hammer you loosah! Get offa me!" A female voice roared along with what sounded like a symphony of falling objects. Gordon ran to assist the officers trying to contain the young girl cursing up a storm.

You rubbed your head, flicked the butt of your cigarette to the ground and moved to the commotion.

The officer trying to handcuff the girl received a headbutt to his face. "C'mon you bozos! I'll rip ya to shreads and feed you to my cute little babies!" She cackled happily as she continued to struggle. Gordon received a swift kick to the family jewels and you knew you had to step in.

"Harley Quinn..." You muttered as you recognized the girl who should belong on a Broadway play, not in the damp streets of Gotham.

"Oh!" Her eyes lit up as you grabbed her attention. "So you're here Detective J? How's it hanging?" She ripped herself away from the cops and patted down her skirt.

"What are you doing here Harley? Being out this late invites trouble." Harley Quinn lead a small gang of teenagers. Punks, goths, nerds, her ensemble of members were the usual outcasts at that age.

"I was just minding my own business when ya lil piggies started oinking at me for no reason!" She explained with shout as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I tell ya, a hardworking citizen is just harassed for just minding their own-!"

Gordon tossed a duffel bag filled with money in front of you as he limped over. A baseball bat with blood splattered on it was handed to you.

Harley giggle nervously as she avoided your eyes. "-business..."

The pieces were easy to put together.

"You know that multiple people were murdered tonight Harley." You began as you twirled the bat in your hand. "They were hit with a blunt object on the head," you lied. "a baseball bat, maybe?" You questioned as you took a swing with it.

Harley gaped like a fish out of water. "Wh-what!? It wasn't me Detective J, I swear! Ya know I don't hurt no one-!" she played with the hem of her skirt as she reassessed her words."...too bad anyway." She muttered as she withered under your glare.

No, you knew she had nothing to do with it. She was mostly, harmless overall. The blood splatter on the bat was just paint to scare people. She's gotten into trouble before and you know she doesn't know any better, like most kids that were being eaten alive by this city. You were too soft on the younger criminals, it was going to bite you in the ass one of these days.

"Give me something Harley. Did you see anyone strange recently here?" Harley looked around before looking at herself and then you. "You know what I mean."

"Ah..." she ran her fingers through the ends of one of her pigtails. "I swear I didn't see nothin! But recently there's been some talk about these guys causing problems..."

You pulled out your notepad and pen. "Name, face, something Harley."

"Well that's tha' thing Detective J." She crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the pavement. "No one I know has actually seen these big bad new guys, just rumours! I know one of them is calling himself The Riddler..." Her nose scrunched up as if she smelled something awful. "He's been messing with people with stupid puzzles and junk. The only thing I know about the other guy is that he's some merc." She admitted as she swung back and forth on her heels.

The Riddler? You never heard of him, but it sounded like another headache waiting to happen. Also a mercenary in Gotham?

Sounded like a fun day.

You handed Harley the bat. "Alright, scram, go straight home, no detours."

Harley beamed at being let off the hook. She took the bat and placed it on her shoulder as she gave you a salute. "Thanks Detective J!" She shouted as she began to walk away.

"The money Harley." You stated and she stopped in her tracks.
She giggled as she tossed a wad of bills back into the duffel bag.

"Can't blame a girl for tryin' right?"

You waved her away with a sigh as you pulled out your phone. An hour passed, but at least you had something to think on rather than nothing.

-

"Thank you Detective, see you later." The man handed you your large cup of coffee and you nodded. You took a spot at one of the booths near the large window and placed your change into your wallet. The rain gently pelted the window and you saw people hurrying to wherever they needed to go outside.

After going through some old files, you knew that the murder was a replication of one from a few years ago. Something was definitely going on, but all you had was guesswork, nothing conclusive. The case would probably be shut, there wasn't anything you could do about it.

"Put the money in the bag!" You looked over and saw someone wave around a gun in front of the register worker. You got up and removed the top from your cup.

"Hey..." You called from right behind him.

"Wha-!" You tossed the hot coffee into his face. "Argh!" He screamed as you swept his legs from under him. He brandished the gun at you but paused as your own gun was in his face.

"Are you confident about this? You may think 'hey he's just some guy, I'll blow his brains out'. Something you also have to think about is-" you pulled back your long coat, revealing your badge. "I'm a cop. Now you're thinking 'He's a cop, he won't shoot me, so I'll shoot him'. Well, if you have that much faith that I won't shoot, you should feel confident. But then you would be a cop killer, and everyone would be looking for your ass. So, are you feeling lucky today? Make my day." You warned as you pulled the safety back on your gun.

The robber gulped and placed the gun on the floor. What you did was probably idiotic to most, even to yourself, but you wanted this guy to think about what he just tried to attempt. The robber's gun still had the safety on and he was ready to piss his pants, you didn't want him to do something stupid himself.

The handcuffs fit around his wrists easily enough and you sat him against the wall and called for someone to pick him up.

"Sorry about the mess, Joe. I'll need another cup to go."

-

Gordon got out of the car as you closed the door to your side of the car.

"Dispatch said there was some kind of commotion, windows shattering and other loud noises. We were nearby so they asked us to check it out." Gordon told you as he unholstered his gun.

You were in front of a butcher shop and the entrance looked like a wrecking ball shot through it. You unholstered you weapon and steadily made your way inside. Snarls and growling were heard as you entered deeper, the glass covering the countertops was shattered as well. You and Gordon made your way to the sound and stopped in your tracks.

"Gordon, go get back up!" You ordered him as you pushed him back. "Hands where I can see them, now!" The massive figure stopped and rose to it's full height, towering over you. "Screw me..." You grunted as you saw this creature.



It's sharp teeth held torn meat between them and it's reptilian eyes honed in on you. It roared and it's massive arm backhanded you into the crates on the other side of the room. A groan escaped you as you picked yourself up and aimed at the creature lumbering towards you.

As much as you'd like to run away, this thing couldn't be allowed to run around causing chaos. You had to try to stop it, or at least buy enough time for backup to arrive.

You chuckled, because this situation was laughably stupid.

What did you decide to do?

[ ] Shoot at it.

[ ] Maybe you should use your head a bit more, there were some chains scattered across the floor, maybe you could use those?

[ ] Try to get to the back of the shop, a meat locker meant a freezer with a sturdy door.

[ ] Run away, this was way above your pay check.

[ ] Write-in

---

Spoiler: Francis J. Yoker

Francis J. Yoker
A detective of Gotham Police Department, growing up in Gotham has made him jaded, but he still posses a strong amount of empathy for others, especially those down on their luck.

Has a chemical engineering degree.

Nobody knows what the J stands for.

Spoiler: People of Interest

James Gordon

A recent transfer to the Gotham Police Department and now Francis' partner.

Has a 'strong' sense of justice.

Vanessa Stolz

A rookie detective under Yoker and Gordon's supervision. Quiet but reliable, unsure of why she decided to become a detective.

Has a clear distaste of 'Superman' and other 'unnatural' things.

Selina Kyle (Catwoman)

A friend since his teenage years, helped out Francis when he had nowhere else to go after his father was murdered in a drug deal.

Francis is unaware of the double life she leads.

Harley Quinn

Leader of The Misfits gang. Detective Yoker helped her out of a bad situation, which lead to her admiring him.

Spoiler: ???

The Bat
No one knows who or what The Bat really is, only that it runs the criminal underworld ruthlessly.

 

[Dreamland]

[X] Try to get to the back of the shop, a meat locker meant a freezer with a sturdy door.

The creature charged and you narrowly dodged it. This thing was a cannonball, you were pretty sure if you really got hit you wouldn't get back up. There was a meat locker in the back, you could lead it there.

The creature turned and you swear it got bigger. You took two steps back before turning on your heel and ducking. A massive arm swiped above you and it tore through a shelf, small splinters exploded through the shop. The roaring followed you as you made your way into the opened meat locker.

The visible breathe you exhaled let you know it was in working condition. The sound of heavy footfalls alerted you. As you hid behind a large hanging rack of meat you took aim with your gun, waiting for the first sign of the creature.

As it appeared, you fired a couple of rounds. It did little it seemed as the creature took the bullets like a champ. It charged and it tore through the meat you hid behind. You ran forward as fast as you could, reaching for the door.

The door shut behind you and you locked it. The moment you did a heavy thud struck against it.

"I remember your face maggot!" It hissed and you realized it was able to talk. The banging didn't stop, but it seemed like the door would hold. You slid down the wall and took a seat, hopefully you just had some bruising and not broken ribs. A cigarette was lit and you placed it between your lips. Being tossed like you were was not something you were keen to experiencing again.

"Sir are you alright!?" Gordon showed up with a few other officers as he looked you over. "What happened to that monster?"

You gently slapped his hand away from your face. "I'm fine, our friend needed a place to chill out." you stood up and exhaled. "Do not open that door, we don't have a way to deal with this thing. I need to get in contact with the chief about this." You told them as you limped outside.

Under the street lamp you dialed Chief Lazlow and waited for him to answer. You only got the voicemail. "Damn it..." you muttered as you ended the call.

Just what were you going to do about this? Superhuman situations were way out of your league, a giant Killer Crocodile was something that happened to Metropolis not Gotham.

A scream from the butcher shop alerted you, loud bangs and crashes were also heard. Killer Croc shot out of the shop and you rolled out of the way. You turned around and saw it rampage down the block.

Gordon ran out of the shop with his gun drawn.

"What the hell happened Gordon!? I told you to keep that door closed!" Gordon followed you as you tried to run after Killer Croc, but it was way to fast.

"One of the officers heard a voice sir! He opened it before I could stop him!" he explained as he kept his pace with you.

"Shit!" You cursed as you stopped, there was no way you were going to find that monster, it was out of sight now. Maybe if you went cross town you could catch it, worth a try.

Before you made your move, your phone beeped and you looked at the received message.

'You don't want to walk that way my man, trust me. Cross the opposite street. X_X'

There was no number, just the message.

You didn't want to trust a random message, but you did trust your instincts and they were telling you to follow the instructions. You crossed the street and just moments later an armored car crashed into the building.

The phone rang, it was a call this time.

"Hello?" You answered and heard someone shout out in joy.

"Whoo!!" he seemed enthusiastic. "Dude crashed like a test dummy, sorry about the mess officer!"

Your eyes narrowed as you observed the armored vehicle. Gordon went to check it out and opened the passenger door. A man groaned as Gordon tossed him out of the vehicle.

You questioned, Gordon kicked the handgun the driver had away and placed handcuffs on him. "What just happened?"

"Oh this?" He seemed amused. "Just the end of a bad business deal. His name is Joe Chill and he just robbed a bank. I just wanted to hand deliver him to the closest cop possible."

You recognized the vehicle was one of the newer models from Wayne Industries Security. You heard the vehicles had remote driving, so in the off chance of an emergency someone who was outside of the situation could keep a cool head while operating the vehicle. Or at least that's what the public was told.

Which means you were talking to someone who remotely accessed this vehicle to help with a heist.

"Seeing as I just saved you from the fate of being a pancake, you can just call me..." You heard him mutter a bit to himself before answering. "Oracle."

"Oracle, huh?" You gripped the side of your jacket, something was caught in it. "Awfully nice of you to save a cop seeing as you're a crook."

"A crook? Dude come on! I have way more finesse than some thug." He laughed and you heard clickimg in the background. "I prefer to think of myself as someone who benefits from the best deal, Detective Yoker."

So he knows who you are now? You looked up at a security camera zoomed in on you. "So you have acess to street cameras?" You questioned without showing how much you wanted to place your palm against your forehead.

"Heh, you're kinda interesting Detective. Most people start shouting questions and demands by now. Let's just consider this an olive branch. I'll offer my services if you want them, for a price."

"Uh huh, I'll keep that in mind." you took the phone away from your ear.

"Wait a minute, I'm not done monologuin-!" you heard Oracle shout as you ended the call. You didn't really want to listen to the guy drone on about how amazing he was. Oracle would poke around in your business and ignoring him would only add fire to his curiosity. You would never be caught on the bad end of a deal.

You removed the hard object that was caught in your jacket and bulletproof vest. It was a claw, from when that monster swiped at you. Lucky enough you weren't impaled by it at all.

On the surface of the shiny object there was a barcode and the letters W.I.

-

The door to Chief Lazlow's office closed and your rubbed your head. He told you to take a day off while he would try to sort this whole mess up. You headed towards your desk and took off your coat.

As you sat at your desk, you noticed a large bag on top of it. A piece of paper was taped to it, a note.

'Tried your apartment, you weren't there. Pulling all nighters again?'

You recognized the handwriting, Selina brought you breakfast and lunch? You weren't a kid that needed to be looked after, but it didn't mean you didn't appreciate it anyway.

As you ate the breakfast sandwich you remembered. She had an art exhibit opening today that she seemed nervous about, maybe showing up unannounced would be something she's appreciate. That also meant being around people who thought a blue square was a profound expression of the human condition.

Talk about a drag, now you really had no desire to go.

-

"Please! Please stop!" the man begged with tears and a swollen face. There was no way out, he was chained to a chair and all he could do was beg.

"Stop? I don't think you understand Joe Chill. Did you stop when you murdered the Waynes? How about all the people you've robbed and crippled?" Joe couldn't see the man's face, but he could clearly see the blue latex gloves he adjusted on his hands. "What happened when they asked you to stop?"

"Th-the Wayne's? I ain't heard about them in years. It wasn't nothin' personal!" He shook his head as he spit out a glob of blood. "I was paid by their kid, Bruce Wayne wanted them dead!"

The man laughed as he stepped over to a rolling cart that held countless utensils. "I guess if I was in your situation I would come up with something ludacris as well. That's what you do isn't it Joe? Run?" A scalpel reflected the dim light over it's surface as the man inspected it. "Run away from your crimes, your guilt? Run away after destroying lives just like the other scum in this city do!" the scalpel was slammed down on the table with the mans shout.

Joe squirmed from the outburst. "You don't have to do this man!'

The man chuckled as he picked up another item. "I find it's better to accept things the way they are, denial will get you no where. After all, you're one of many examples I'll be making Joe Chill."

"Screw you!" the chained crimal screamed as the man stepped into the light.

James Gordon smiled as the syringe dripped a colorless liquid on to the floor.

-

What did you decide to do?

[ ] Visit Wayne Industries for a little chat.

[ ] Go to Selina Kyle's art show.

[ ] A man named Harvey Dent showed up at the station.

[ ] Contact Oracle
- [ ] Information on Wayne Industries
- [ ] Information on 'The Riddler'
- [ ] Oracle gave you a tip about a 'crime'. There were 365 days in a year.
- [ ] Write-in

[ ] Write-in

 

[Dreamland]

[X] Go to Selina Kyle's art show

After arriving you just took a spot relatively out of the way, a large balcony overlooking the city street. Leaning against the wall, you watched waiters with trays of glasses and large bottles of alcohol move about, catering to the guests. You were extremely uncomfortable in this environment even if you seemed indifferent.

You already regretted showing up.

A cigarette left your carton and you placed it in your mouth as you dug around your jacket for your lighter. The moment you found it, the cigarette was removed from your mouth.

"You should know smoking isn't allowed here." Selina Kyle pointed the butt of the cigarette at you, her eyes mischievous while chiding you. "You seem like you want to jump off the balcony head first."

A grumble escaped your throat as she stole your lighter and lit the cigarette and placed it into your mouth. She wasn't wrong, being in a hospital was a better alternative. "Yeah well I had the day off."

Her eyes showed some surprise before she giggled. "That's so precious!" She held her stomach as she doubled over in laughter. "You're such a softie Francis!" She wiped away a tear from her eye. "You didn't have to show up, you know I hate these stiffs just as much as you do." her smirk returned as she leaned against the wall near you.

You exhaled smoke and sighed, Selina could always read you. "I don't understand why you deal with them anyway." You knew she didn't enjoy these party exhibits she put together. The amount of work and socializing made you tired just thinking about it.

She raised an eyebrow and her mouth set into a frown, she gave you a glance that screamed 'are you stupid?'. "You know I like money Francis, the pay is good."

That was true, she was able to afford living downtown in a relatively safe and expensive neighborhood. Even in Gotham, if you had the money you could live in the low crime places, it just cost a lot, way above any of the money you ever made. Growing up the both of you weren't used to having much. It made Selina have a very high affinity for money and comfort, she never wanted to be poor and struggle again in her life.

That very same worry caused her to often fret about you, even though you lived just fine. She would often try to convince you to get an apartment closer to her, one she was willing to pay for, so she'd know you were safe and alright.

"Selina?" A man called out as he stepped onto the large balcony. Well built, well dressed and handsome, he smiled when he caught sight of his target.

You didn't like how fake that smile was.

Selina seemed surprised by the man's presence. "Bruce? What are you doing here?" The man strode confidently over to Selina, a champagne glass in hand. Suddenly without warning, he scooped her into his arms giving her a deep kiss that seemed to leave her flustered. His eyes weren't closed, but stared straight at you. She pushed him away with laugh. "Down boy, this isn't exactly a prime spot for affection."

The man turned his attention towards you, a hand extended towards you. "A friend of yours Selina?" he stared into your eyes and gave you a smile. One that never reached his eyes. "Wayne, Bruce Wayne, but I'm sure you already know who I am."

What a joke, a rich boy pampered by his parents money. Unlike many other people, you didn't really sympathize with his parents death as an excuse for his actions. Or perhaps because you lost your parents as well, it made you less able to hand out sympathy. He wasn't the only person in Gotham that had lost his parents at a young age, and he wouldn't be the last.

Late night parties, destruction of property, people hospitalized from reckless driving. It seems money gave him a lot of free passes. Donations to charity, construction of new buildings and jobs never swayed your personal grievances with this man. He made the justice system more of joke than it already was in Gotham.

Now someone who you cared for was involved with this man. You almost laughed at the sheer absurdity of it.

Bruce Wayne extended his hand, what did you do?

[ ] Shake his hand.

[ ] Ignore his greeting.

You flicked the cigarette onto the ground and smothered it wth your shoe. You weren't in the mood to finish it anymore as you walked back into the ballroom. You ignored Selina calling out your name.

-

"Damn it Francis..." Selina muttered in frustration as she watched his retreating back. She knew this wouldn't go over well with him, she didn't expect either Bruce or Francis to show up in the first place. She had brought up the fact that she was seeing someone to her friend, but she avoiding mentioning it was Bruce Wayne of all people.

Now she was in a sour mood and the night was no where near over.

Bruce stepped near her as he took a sip of his drink. "Huh, was it something I said?" He wondered out loud as he looked at Selina.

"No, this just isn't his kind of crowd." Selina absentmindedly replied as she rubbed her forehead.

Bruce hummed in curiosity but let it go. "How about you show me the new pieces on display? I'm sure I could gather some curious eyes and ears for your bids." he offered his arm towards her which she took easily.

-

An explosion rocked the ballroom, shouts and screams of panic were silenced by the yell of guns.

"Now, now ladies and germs, please relax! If ya do as we say no one gets hurt right?" A man with a red cloth mask and wild blonde hair stepped through the smoke. Thugs in expensive looking suits came out after him, scattering into strategic points in the room. "The name's Grifter, I'll be your instructor for the night!"

Spoiler: Grifter

A pudgy and short man strutted through the debris, an opened umbrella spun as it covered his head from imaginary rain. "I think my money's well spent on you, mercenary."



The Penguin was pleased, the man had whipped his boys into shape and now robbing this art show would be a piece of cake. "Oi!" He called out behind him. "The Bat wanted to make sure this all goes well! Keep a look out!" A woman donned in a silhouette reminiscent of a bat simply nodded as she turned away. Her red hair disappearing through the smoke.

The penguin sniffed in distaste, he hated listening to The Bat. The fact that his little pet was overseeing his activities made his blood boil. The Penguin had to listen, for now. Soon he would be able to break out of that shadow and crush The Bat himself.

For now, he simply watched the terror stricken faces of the people his boys started to rob. Jewels, watches and the paintings all around were being quickly shipped out.

"Uh oh, looks like we got a bit of trouble, boss." Grifter mentioned with a bit of excitement in his voice. He dodged a whip that cracked, ready to split his face open. Grifter whistled as he looked at Catwoman, not seeming very pleased about any of this. "Well well, I wouldn't mind being your pet, kitty kitty."

Catwoman swung her whip again. "Sorry, but I'm not a fan of dogs." She purred out with a smirk as she forced the man to dodge again. "I don't know why you boys decided to pick tonight of all nights, but I was here first. This was supposed to be my score."

"Now, now." The Penguin made a calming motion with his hand. "Bargaining is my forte little lady. We can make a deal." The Penguin didn't really care, but another set of hands would just make his life easier. He peered behind Catwoman to see some of his men knocked out. He was an observant man, that woman didn't do this.

Catwoman jolted as an arm gripped her throat. Someone had snuck up on her? Catwoman's eyes widened behind her goggles as a voice spoke. "GPD! Put your hands up"

-

Just your luck, Selina's art exhibit was being targeted. You assumed this woman under your grip worked for the short man in front of you.

"Sorry officer, but I haven't exactly broken any law." The woman's foot hit you in the face in an impressive display of flexibility, it caused you to loosed your grip which she slipped away from easily. You attempted to catch her but tripped and fell to the floor. You examined your ankles and found them tied together by bolas.

The Catwoman was gone before you knew it, and now that man with the red cloth mask held a gun to your head. "Ouch! That must sting. The beautiful ones are always as sharp as a rose-" he raised a part of your coat, seeing your badge. "-detective."

The Penguin smirked and stepped towards you. "Heh, this is what happens when you try to play a hero. I'm a very generous man, having police on my payroll is aways a valuable asset." The short man waved a wad of money in your face. "What do you say detective? Friends?"

You smacked the wad of bills away from you face and spit on Penguins face in return. You were really pissed of now, you couldn't be bought. Grifter fell to his back as you swung your tied legs to sweep him off his feet. Shimmying backwards you found a piece of glass on the floor and cut your restrains off.

"I want him dead!" The Penguin yelled as a couple of his thugs charged at you. A thug tackled you as you punched another's lights out. You quickly turned the thug holding you onto his back and punch him twice, knocking him out.

The roar of gunfire caused you to dodge to the side. "Your pretty quick detective!" Grifter complimented as he continued to fire. A grenade was tossed next to you. "Nothing personal, just business!" You scrambled quickly out of the way, the explosion was powerful enough to launch you into a wall. With a pant you stood, using the wall as a support. Grifter's gun clicked behind your head. "Looks like I win-" the man grunted as the crack of a whip snaked around his arm pulling him away from you.

Not wasting any time, you charged into the man, tackling him to the floor. He received a knuckle sandwich for his troubles, but he returned one causing you to get off of him. His boot struck across your face, you held onto the floor, keeping yourself up with one hand.

"That woman keeps getting in the way!" He released a hail of fire above him. He sucked his teeth and turned his attention back to you. The moment he did, a hastily made Molotov cocktail shattered onto him forcing him to scream and fall back. You were lucky you swiped that bottle from the waiter.

A fire extinguisher sprayed on the man, you covered your mouth as two of penguins henchmen dragged Grifter away. You saw The Penguin at the entrance tip his hat towards you before a car crashed through the doors, he and the rest of his men stepped through, done ransacking the place.

"Shit..." You muttered as you looked at the destroyed ballroom. A shadow caught your eye above. Making their way to an emergency exit. You followed as quickly as you could, up the multiple stairs and through the roof.

The gun in your hand aimed at the figure perched at the edge of the roof. A large jewel sparkled in between her fingers. "You're awfully persistent for a boy in blue." Catwoman snickered as she looked you over. "If you're too clingy you'll just scare women away."

"Yeah, well the only woman I'm after right now is you." you easily retorted. "I'm bringing you in and you can answer some questions."

Catwoman sighed with a shake of her head. "If it's about short and stuffy, sorry I don't know a damn thing. It just so happened we were after the same place."

She seemed to be telling the truth, but something still bugged you. "Why did you help me? You could've been gone by now."

She only smiled and began to step off of the ledge. "See you around detective!" You quickly made your way to the edge, only to see Catwoman gone.

"Damn it!" Criminals just did whatever they wanted didn't they? You were lucky to even still be breathing. Just what were you suppossed to do as one man in a city of crooks?

You didn't notice the bat shaped silhouette observing you from the distant rooftop.

You couldn't find Selina in any of the chaos, you decided to head home. What happened?

[ ] Bruce Wayne was in your home waiting for you, sipping away at your whiskey.

[ ] You contacted Oracle for some leads on this 'Catwoman'.

[ ] A large box that smelled like spoiled meat was left in front of your apartment.

[ ] You received a call from a man named Harvey Dent.

[ ] Write-in

 

[Dreamland]

[X] Shake his hand.
[X] You received a call from a man named Harvey Dent.

A relieved sigh escaped you as you leaned back in your couch. The rice boiling and the meat sizzling made a satisfying aroma to help with your mood. The remote clicked and your television turned on for some background noise.

The tie around your neck was loosened as you poured a small glass of whiskey for yourself. You weren't much of a drinker, you had this bottle for a year and it was barely touched. Even though you held the vice of smoking, you kept yourself relatively healthy besides that. You needed to be in shape for your own peace of mind.

Your cellphone rang and you picked up.

"Hello, Detective Yoker?" A man inquired over the phone. "My name is Harvey Dent."

"Harvey Dent?" Your fingers typed away on your laptop that sat on your coffee table. Your search results reminded you of why you heard the name before. "What does a big shot DA want with me?"

Harvey laughed. "You give me too much credit detective. I'd like for us to meet face to face."

You rubbed the stubble of your chin. "What for?" What would a lawyer want from you?

Harvey hummed in thought before answering. "I've asked around about some of the decent folk on the force. Your name came up a few times. I'd like to talk about Gotham's future. Say in two days from now?"

"Uh..."

"Great! Pleasant speaking with you detective, I have to go now so just drop by my office when you have the chance." The call as ended before you could even object.

Lawyers, what an annoying bunch. He made sure you wouldn't be able to refuse over the phone by excusing himself. You shouldn't show up, just to spite him.

The cellphone was tossed onto the table as you got up to check your food.

-

James Gordon pulled up to his partner's apartment building. He was worried, he hadn't heard from Yoker since yesterday, and the detective was late to work today. James exited the police car and approached the front entrance's stairs. The sound of something being knocked to the ground stopped him in his tracks. He stepped away from the stairs and made his way to the alleyway next to the building.

Three men were beating on a man near a dumpster, the man in question was the one he was looking for.

"Hey!" Gordon yelled as his hands slipped into his pockets quickly and began to jog over.

The tallest of the men looked over with a scowl. "Buzz off before I-" the man wasn't able to finish as a fist covered in brass knuckles cracked against his skull.

"Shit! Bobby!" A man with a pipe was alerted and took a swing at Gordon. Easily the young detective swayed to the side, he avoided the pipe completely. His attacker overextended his swing and his lower jaw crashed against the detective's fist.

Wham! Wham! Wham!

The last attacker fell to his backside, shuffling away from the man who just took out his friends. Gordon turned, his face and aviators splattered with blood. He stood, walking away from the body.

"Lowlife scum." the detective growled through his teeth. He dragged the man to the side of the building and slammed his body against the wall.

The man's eyes quivered in fear.

"You're going to answer me while I break every bone in your body."

-

"Some broad dressed like a bat paid us-! Argh!" A scream tore through the air.

You groaned as you regained consciousness, your hand held your head. Your hand became damp and you squinted your eyes as you observed it.

Blood?

That's right, you think you remembered now. You woke up late, your alarm seemed to have stopped working sometime last night. After getting yourself prepared for the day, the moment you stepped outside you were hit from behind with what felt like a steel pipe. Although you were resiliant, after being taken by surprise even you couldn't fight off the three thugs that beat you down.

A scream and what sounded like a harsh snap made you pull yourself to your feet slowly.

"I'm sorry, stop!" Two men were unconscious on the ground, another was eating his teeth for dinner.

Gordon's fist was stopped as you gripped his wrist. He quickly turned, ready to swing, but his eyebrows rose behind his aviators. His face and sunglasses were splattered with blood.

"That's enough James..." You held onto him as your hand strained against his arm.

"Enough!? They could have killed you!" He shouted as he released a ball of spit at the whimpering thug. "Scumbags like him never learn!" Another kick to the side of the man made contact.

You dragged Gordon back, before he found himself rolled onto his stomach. Your arms were like a vice as you held him in a half-nelson hold. "It's alright! Calm down!" you had never seen Gordon this worked up before, but you've handled this kind of anger before in others. He just needed it out of his system. "This isn't the way, James." his struggling lessened as you tried to get through to him. " If you go too far down this path you won't be able to leave it! You'll be no better than them!"

Gordon shuddered as his sunglasses fell from his eyes.

His face was full of sorrow as his eyes welled up with tears. "My daughter is going to be born in this city, sir." He let out as his forehead rested against the ground. "Every day I worry I might not see my wife again! What kind of place is this to raise a family!?"

There wasn't an answer you could give him, so you waited it out. You stayed in place as Gordon released his frustration with shouts and tears. All you could really do was let your presence be known.

Eventually he calmed down as his face laid on the concrete. "I'm fine now, please let me up, sir."

You released your hold on him and got up. Gordon picked himself off of the floor and wiped his face. You picked up his aviators and held them out to him. As he reached for them, your palm gripped the back of his neck. "Look at me..." He complied as his now red eyes observed you. "You have a daughter and a wife, people you love. If you work hard you can help make the city better, a place where you would be fine with them living in, don't sell yourself short."

You didn't believe a word that came out of your mouth, but it wouldn't help anyone to be negative. You hoped it would help Gordon feel better, hopefully the words reached him.

"Ha..." Gordon breathed out as he placed his aviators over his face, back where they belonged. "Your always so composed sir."

"I'm as cool as a cucumber, Gordon."

Gordon couldn't help but laugh. "That was awful."

You rubbed your chin, maybe a pun would have been a better choice.

-

After arriving at the station, Chief Lazlow called for you in his office.

The door was shut behind you, as usual the chief was at his desk overlooking paperwork but someone else was there as well. A young woman, with a GPD detective badge strapped against her chest holster.

Spoiler: Vanessa Stolz

He didn't question the cuts on your face or the bandage over your forehead. "Yoker, this is Vanessa Stolz, she's a rookie, so I'm leaving it to you and Gordon to show her the ropes." Chief Lazlow explained.

She had a fierce stare, though you wondered if she was cut out for the job. If you could estimate she was five foot four inches, you practically towered over her. "Isn't there someone else? Why do you keep handing me the rookies?" If she was offended by your words, she didn't show it.

First Gordon, now this young woman. You weren't a babysitter.

"Stolz, give me a minute with this knucklehead." He waved her off.

Vanessa Stolz placed her black coat over herself and nodded. "Yes, sir." She passed by you without another word and closed the door behind her.

Chief Lazlow leaned back in his seat and sighed, his hand rubbed his forehead. "Francis, Gotham is a shit hole." You snorted in amusement, that was a nice compliment to the city. "I've got people who are supposed to uphold the law being bought off by criminals. Politicians an' celebrities can do whatever the hell they want. The people don't trust us at all." He began to sharpen a pencil he pulled out from his desk drawer. "I don't mean to beat a dead horse, we both already know this. You're one of the good ones left who actually do their damn job. I've been pushing to get new, younger faces in here, to replace these assholes who wear my city's badge."

That probably meant he was met with resistance from people above him.

Lazlow pointed his pencil towards you. "I don't want these rookies coming in here an' being messed with. I don't want them becoming corrupt just because it's what everyone else does. I'm not going hand her over to Bullock or Montoya, so just show Stolz how things work for now. Take her out on a patrol with Gordon."

Even though you wanted to you didn't sigh. You understood his reasoning even though it just meant more work for you. "Yes, sir." You accepted as you headed for the door.

"Don't give her a hard time Yoker! That also means to ease up on Gordon too!"

You didn't give an acknowledgement of his words. As you exited the office you found Stolz standing against the wall, probably waiting for you.

"Let's go, you're with me and Gordon."

She followed without a complaint.

-

The three of you sat under a diner's awning, shielded from the light rain. Coffee and sandwiches for dinner, though it wasn't too late, your watch read 7:00 pm. Gordon decided you all should take a break.

"So, Vanessa, where are you from?" Gordon questioned with a bite of his large sub. You exhaled smoke, a bit curious as well.

"Gotham, but I lived in Metropolis for a couple of years for college." she explained with a sip of her beverage. You wondered just what made her decide to come back.

"Any family?" Gordon questioned.

You noticed her grip was slightly tighter over her cup. "No."

"Ah." Gordon seemed extremely apologetic after the mood seemed to tense up. "I didn't mean to bring up something so sensitive."

"It's fine." She replied easily and the conversation was killed into an awkward silence. Gordon liked to jump the gun when meeting others. Some people didn't want to become friends with everyone they met. Some just wanted to be left alone, you could already tell your new underling was this way.

"We need to get back." You swallowed the last bit of your sandwich and stood up.

"I'm driving." Gordon volenteered as he tossed his garbage in a trash bin.

-

A soft snore inturuppted the silence of the drive. Gordon was passed out in the backseats. You turned your attention to the young detective looking out at the city from her side of the car.

"Don't think too badly of Gordon." You brought up as you turned the corner of a street. You saw Stolz look at you with a small amount of curiosity. "He has a kid on the way. He probably doesn't get enough sleep."

"I guess a happy guy like him would tire himself out." she stated with a small amount of amusement in her voice.

Was Gordon happy? After today you weren't so sure. Keeping up a facade of happiness can be just as dangerous as just sinking into negative feelings.

Your thoughts ceased as something crashed into your vehicle, sending the car tumbling through the streets. You groaned and shook your head, the car was turned upside down. You released the seat belt still holding you to the seat and landed with a grunt on your back. "Gordon! Stolz!" You coughed out, but they were out cold.

"You think we got em?"

"Eh, gotta check to make sure. The Bat don't like no loose ends."

The click of a gun alerted you. You quickly crawled out the window and leaned back on the car. You couldn't tell how many there were, and your head was ringing. You pulled out your gun and thought of a way out of this situation.

What did you decide to do?

[ ] There was an air freshener can in the dashboard, combine that with your lighter and you had a surprise flamethrower waiting to be used.

[ ] For some reason, Gordon kept ping pong balls in the cars. You could rig that with the wrappers from the candy bars Stolz bought to make some smoke bombs.

[ ] Write-in

 

[Dreamland]

[X] For some reason, Gordon kept ping pong balls in the cars. You could rig that with the wrappers from the candybars Stolz bought to make some smoke bombs.

Hastily you pulled out your lighter and lit it against the ends of one of your crudely made smoke bombs. You were able to make ten in such a short amount of time, it wouldn't last long but you just needed a bit of time. One by one you threw them at the general direction of the men who attacked you. You lossened your tie and ripped it off of your neck.

Shouts and coughs of surprise let you know they were effective and so you made your move. As you dived into the cover of the smoke you held your breath, inhaling any of this would be horrible for your lungs, not like it mattered with the way you smoked. The first man was hacking up his lungs, a gun in his hand.

The tie in your grip twisted like a snake, coiling around the man's neck as you held him back to back. His legs struggled wildly in the air as he began to lose consciousness, and only a few moments later he stopped his struggle. You released him and checked on him, he was still breathing.

"What the-!?" You kept your surprise in check as another man's gun was near your face. You leg lashed out like a missle, breaking his ankle and he fell with a yell. You quickly got on his back and used your tie once more, sending him to his dreams. With a pant you sluggishly got off of him, you weren't at one hundred percent, not after the crash and the incident earlier. Both men were easily handcuffed, you noticed the smoke was thinning.

You kicked the guns away from the men and began to stalk your next obstacles.

"Fuck!" A woman shouted as she coughed through the smoke.

"Where's Joey? Did you see him?" She questioned the man next to her who tried to keep his mouth covered.

"No, he and Mike just vanished!" He replied in panic, two other men scrambled a bit further away.

They all had tommyguns.

"Damn..." You muttered as you wiped the sweat away from your eyes. You reached into your pocket for the last three smoke bombs, lit and tossed them. As you dashed forward through the smoke you shot at the two men farthest away from you, their legs gave out as you were able to disable them.

The woman and man close to you shouted in surprise but a quick haymaker sent the man to the floor. You heard the rumble of a tommygun and grunted as a bullet impacted your side. Your leg lashed out against the woman, forcing her to lose her balance and hold on the weapon.

"Ugh, you asshole..." She muttered in pain as she laid on her side and held her broken leg. You limped and rounded up the stray weapons. You only had two pair of cuffs left, so you used one on two of the men by their legs, the last man was cuffed regularly.

The woman grunted as you tossed her against the side of the building. You weren't a particularly violent person, but you had a responsibility to look out for the rookies and these crooks put them in danger. "Are you stupid?" You questioned the woman who continued to glare at you. "You just attacked three cops."

She kept her mouth shut, so you applied some pressure to her broken leg.

"Jackass!" She muttered with a hiss and an uncomfortable twist of her body. "Doesn't this count as police brutality?" She smirked pleasantly.

A smartass, she probably wasn't going to talk. So you brought one of the other crooks over and slammed him into the wall next to her. That same look of defiance was on the man's face. "I want information, why did you attack me?"

The man laughed loudly in your face before he spat on it. "Get bent, pig." You weren't going to get anything out of them and physical interrogation wasn't something you were willing to do beyond that. You called for backup as you headed back to the car.

You pulled Gordon and Stolz onto the sidewalk as two cop cars and an ambulance pulled up. The rookies were still knocked out, and your side finally began to sting like an angry hornet.

The ride to the hospital was a quiet affair.

-

You walked up the stairs of your apartment building, the painkillers staving off most of the discomfort of your side. Gordon and Stolz were still unconscious even after you all arrived at the hospital, there wasn't any need to stay yourself, you were going to check on them tomorrow after you got a few winks of sleep.

The door to your apartment was skewed to the side, off of the hinges. You propped the door against the wall as you entered you apartment.

Everything was trashed, your couch was ripped to shreds and turned upside down. The kitchen was a mess of food and condiments, the cabinets ripped off the walls, your refrigerator laid on it's side. Everything else was just as bad, your TV was shattered, your bedroom was a typhoon of your clothing and bed. This has never happened to you before but you couldn't muster up the energy to even be surprised.

Your shoe nudged against something, you crouched down and picked up the broken snow globe. The one Selina bought for you last Christmas.

A sigh escaped you, maybe you overreacted with the whole Bruce Wayne thing.

-

Selina's apartment building was fancy, too fancy, it had a doorman a front desk and other perks you would never think of getting by renting an apartment. It always reminded you of a hotel more so than a building for apartments. The box in-between your arm shifted as you leaned against the elevator's wall. The elevator stopped and you exited, heading towards Selina's door down the hall.

Your hand paused before ringing the door bell. You were having second thoughts, would she even want to see you right now? You haven't spoken with her since her art exhibition.

You rang the door bell.

A few seconds later the door opened, Selina stood in a dangerously short, black night robe. A wine glass in her hand, her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Francis?" It seemed Selina was drinking tonight, her cheeks held a light tinge of red to them. While you smoked like a chimney, she preferred wine and champagne for her vices. You handed her the box in your arms and decided maybe it wasn't such a good idea to intrude on her evening. "You have a key to my apartment you know." She reminded you with a bit of a sour note in her tone. "Come on in." She pushed you inside and shut the door behind her.

You found yourself sitting on an extremely large bean bag that somehow complimented her fancy living room. You always felt like some kind of pet on this thing, you could swear you were sinking into it.

Selina sat on the couch across from you and opened the box you handed her. A necklace with a ruby and other gems you never bothered to remember the name of strapped to it. You almost swore you heard her purr in delight as she held it up. Your bank account took a bit of a hit, but you didn't mind. You remembered seeing her gaze at it when you both were out once. "Francis, this necklace costs up to fifteen thousand dollars..." She muttered in disbelief as she looked at you like you were out of your mind.

"I had the money, Merry Christmas." You told her as you lit a cigarette, Christmas wasn't for another few weeks. It was true that it was expensive, but you didn't really want for much outside of the necessities. "I'm sorry." You apologized softly, and her face shifted into understanding.

She held a hand to her head, exasperated. "You make it very hard for me to ever be mad with you..." With a sigh she placed the necklace back in the box and observed you as she walked over. "Why do you still have your jacket on? Where did these cuts come from?" She bombarded you with questions as she held your face like a mother would scolding a child. "You're bleeding..." She noticed as she opened your jacket and looked at your stomach. "What the hell happened to you?" Your white dress shirt was stained where the bullet wound was covered.

A laughed slipped from your throat. "It's been a long day." Her face contorted with an unsure expression.

"Getting banged up and shot is not most people's definition of a long day." She took a seat next to you on the bean bag as you looked out to the city from her large windows. "You're going to get yourself killed one of these days." She didn't sound too happy about that.

With all the tact in the world you replied. "Probably." Another cloud of smoke escaped from your nose. The cigarette was put out by Selina and she placed her head over your chest.

"God, no wonder you don't have a girlfriend." She muttered as she rolled her eyes.

-

Your eyes opened as you felt your phone vibrate in your coat pocket. The large bean bag shifted slightly with your movement, you tried to move your arm but found you couldn't. Selina held onto your side like a child with a teddy bear. She was still asleep, you used your free hand to retrieve your phone.

There was no caller ID, you picked up. "Hello?" You answered softly.

"You are surprisingly annoying to kill, Detective Yoker." A disembodied voice responded on the other line. "Twice now, you somehow survived, did you like my housewarming gift?." Your phone creaked under your increased grip. So someone was trying to kill you, just what did you do?

"Who is this?"

The voice chuckled, a sound that caused a knot to grow in your throat. "Selina Kyle is a very beautiful woman, it would be a shame if something happened to that georgeous face."

"What do you want from me?" You growled out.

"What do I want? No, no, detective, you're mistaken." The voice paused. "It's what you can provide for me and that is entertainment. I'm going to sit back and watch as everything comes crumbling down on you. I want to see just how much you can take until you put your own gun willingly to your skull and squeeze the trigger."

The voice laughed and the line went dead. Your fingers trembled, the phone dropped from your grip as you rubbed your eyes in frustration with a shuddering exhale.

You've never felt so terrified in your life, someone was after you, and now they had an eye on Selina? Because of you, Gordon and Stolz were in the hospital.

You squirmed your way out of Selina's grasp gently and placed your beige trench coat over her.

After a shower and finding a change of clothes you kept in Selina's place you decided it would be best to start your day. Outside, it began to snow lightly. You looked over to Selina still sleeping soundly, curled up like a cat with your coat around her.

You didn't need it, you could always come back and get your coat back from Selina when you had the chance. If you had a chance

You stepped out of Selina's building, where did you decide to go?:

[ ] Check on Gordon and Stolz in the hospital.

[ ] Meet with Harvey Dent.

[ ] Head over to the Gotham Police Department.
(Probably a bad idea, maybe.)

[ ] Write-in

 

[Dreamland]

[X] Meet with Harvey Dent.

"Detective Yoker!"

Harvey Dent smiled, he had a good handshake. From your brief observation he had calluses on his fingers. It seemed a bit odd to you, that didn't seem like it would be common for lawyers.

Harvey leaned back in his chair, he rummaged through a drawer and took out a square box. Opening it, he held out a cigar and waved it in your direction. "It's Cuban detective, want one?"

You weren't in a very chipper mood, you were honestly a bit stressed. Maybe you were just odd, having someone who wants to kill you for some reason wasn't any reason to panic.

"No." You shot down, cigars were never your thing.

Ever so slightly Harvey's smile shortened as he placed the cigar back into the case. A sigh escaped him, probably from the fact that he couldn't butter you up. "Already you're surprising me, detective." His eyes glanced out his window with a relaxed smile. "Huh, I've had to do this for so long. I've forgotten how to talk to people." A quarter spun on his desk, the sound of it rolling on the surface almost sounded like a metronome. "I love this city, detective, from what I've heard my gut tells me you do too."

You crossed your arms over your chest, this man was wasting your time. "Don't assume things about people you don't know."

The coin's momentum stopped, it landed on the heads side face up. Harvey Dent grinned with eyes still on you. "That's it, detective! That's just what I've been looking for, what I've been sorely lacking." His finger pointed straight towards you. "Perspective! The perspective of someone who is apart of Gotham, who sees Gotham as it is. Not stuck in politics or business, a real citizen."

Your eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "Can you get to the point, Dent?"

Harvey leaned back in his chair. "When I was looking into the police, I wanted someone on the force who could support me. Now, after meeting you I definitely want you to help me. To keep things in perspective for me as the average man and woman of Gotham." You raised an eyebrow at the man's assumptions. What made him think you knew or cared about what people in Gotham wanted?

Harvey fiddled with the coin, rolling it back and forth between his fingers. "I want to change Gotham, to make this city safer, better. In order to understand how to make a change I need to understand everyone and everything in Gotham. I already have someone helping me build connections, but I also need someone to make sure I don't lose perspective."

The shine in his eye lead you to believe that he was being serious. That he really believed he could help change the city. You thought he was too ambitous, too optimistic. He would probably become just as corrupt as any other politician in Gotham. Yet something in your own gut was saying he wanted to be different, wanted to really help Gotham.

Gotham didn't take well to change.

Harvey Dent with his charmingly optimistic smile held out his hand. "Will you help me out, Detective?"

Did you decide to help Harvey Dent?

[ ] Yes, he seemed like a decent man, if a bit too optimistic.

[ ] No, you didn't do politics and definitely didn't trust lawyers.

[ ] Write-in.

-

After leaving that foolishly naive lawyer, you decided to go home. You still needed to get one of your spare coats. The snow almost seemed to slow their descent from the sky. An angry orange glow lit up the street, smoke rising to the sky.

Your apartment building was on fire, that was how you found it when you made your way home. People gathered around the street, too curious about someone else's misfortune. Firefighters finally showed up, forcing people out of the way. Pumps of water trying to quench the fire from spreading.

All you could do was stare at the rising fire and smoke. It was warm, almost tranquil in it's burning fury.

Your phone rang, slowly you placed it to your ear. "Detective Yoker." you answered.

"You're needed detective."

You rubbed your eyes and sighed. "I'm on my way."

-

The school resembled a cathedral more so than a more normal high school. You never really figured out the fascination with the gothic theme Gotham loved. You were called to Wayne High School for the Intellectually Talented, an obviously prestigious school. It made you roll your eyes just how much the Wayne name was all over your city.

A small frown tilted your cigarette, the rain was turning the leftover snow into slush. It wasn't pleasant to walk in, watching some of the officers accidentally step into a large puddle gave you a bit of a laugh.

"One male, one female, students, they were ready to graduate this year." The officer explained with a stuffed mouth, his face disinterested, the man was eating a hot dog. The need to shove the bun down his throat and watch him choke grew with every smack of his lips.

You slightly tuned the officer out of your attention, you were already able to paint a picture. From what you knew, John Douglas was a model student, bright, smart, willing to help others. Jane Donald was said to be a bit quiet, but a nice girl. You weren't sure if they were a couple, but the crime scene screamed a planned suicide.

You knew better than that. This was set up to appear as if it was a joint suicide. Two distraught love sick kids decided to off themselves. Your instincts were telling you something was off about this whole thing.

Over near the police cars were the two people who apparently found the victims. Another male and female student.

Spoiler: Victoria Fries

The girl had a blanket covering her, probably given to her by one of the ambulance personnel. Her once high ponytail was drenched, her hair clung tightly to her face. Her teeth clamped around her thumb's nail, her eyes were constantly on the move darting towards every sound. Her brown eyes met your own briefly, something desperate and yet empty in her eyes, she quickly glanced away.

Spoiler: Morgan Elliot

The boy kept his head down, hands clenched over his short blonde hair, foot constantly tapped on the ground, his body seemed to shake, probably from tears. There was a drenched blanket on the ground near him. The front of his clothing was covered in blood, slight smears of crimson kissed the side of his cheek.

What did you decide to do?

[ ] Approach the seemingly distraught boy.

[ ] Approach the seemingly troubled girl.

What questions did you ask?

[ ] Write-in. (Optional)

 

[Dreamland]

Spoiler

[X]Yes, if only to keep an eye on him. Who knows, he might even be telling the truth.
[X] Approach the seemingly troubled girl.

Morgan Elliot observed the large courtyard of the Wayne manor. His breath came out in cloudy puffs, the cold weather of Gotham nipped at his nose.

"Master Bruce will be pleased with your safe arrival, Master Morgan." Morgan's attention diverted to Alfred's back, who was leading him to the front door. "Please don't fret over your belongings, I will attend to them once you've settled in."

The young man chose not to comment, only to continue observing his surroundings. The manor's doors opened to a large greeting area. "Ah, there he is! Morgan, I hope the plane ride was to your taste?" Bruce Wayne strode down the large steps, arms open in greeting.

Morgan stiffened, he found himself crushed in a hug. Bruce Wayne comparatively massive compared to the young man. "Uncle..." Morgan's greeting was muffled, Bruce stepped back, hands rested on the blonde's shoulders. "It was a wonderful flight, thank you." He bowed his head slightly, properly thanking his father's childhood friend.

Morgan had an entire first class cabin to himself, while his father made good money it wasn't nearly enough to simply waste on an entire cabin. Morgan tugged at the black turtleneck sweater he wore, his Uncle even bought him completely new clothing.

It was an odd feeling, his father was not a very affectionate man.

There were times Morgan felt as if he was just another obstacle placed in Thomas Elliot's life. The necessities were provided, but he had not learned much from his father, his father never spoke of his mother either. Perhaps Morgan resembled his mother, emotions were a troubling thing. A constant reminder of something you wished to never remember could bring a cold indifference to the surface.

Morgan Elliot just wanted to be something his father couldn't ignore, someone his father had to pay attention to. Morgan worked hard in school, he wasn't the student with the highest honors, or one that stood out greatly, but he was far from a failure. Morgan tried to be a model student, to not trouble his father with undue worries. He did community service so he had an excuse not to go home
In the end it was a fruitless endeavor, from the knife wound in his abdomen, he learned how much his father cared for him. In return, he showed his father in kind how necessary it was for a throat to be intact in order to live.

"I've enrolled you into the top school here in Gotham. I've been informed of your grades, as well as some of the impressive community service you've accomplished." Bruce mentioned as he began to guide Morgan through the manor. "You've got a good head on your shoulders."

Morgan blinked lightly, not realizing they weren't in the hallway anymore, when had they moved? "You give me too much credit, Uncle Bruce."

Bruce raised an eyebrow while his smile stayed in place. "Humble huh? Don't downplay your accomplishments too much Morgan, you won't get far by not standing out."

Morgan never truly wanted to stand out.
-

Morgan wasn't sure what to expect from such a renowned school.

Without even going to college, graduates from Wayne's School for the Intellectually Talented could get job offers the same year. It was an amazing opportunity all things considered. As the new student, and being taken in by Bruce Wayne, there were already peers wanting to make connections with him.

He didn't expect the same kind of ugliness that he had seen countless times in a less prestigious school.

Morgan watched from across the hallway as a group of girls laughed at a girl they surrounded. Books and papers scattered on the floor, trampled on like garbage.

"This is boring, she doesn't even get upset."

One of the female students complained, if Morgan remembered correctly her name was Amanda or Mandy? Something along those lines. The group walked away, leaving the girl to pick up her belongings. Morgan picked up a book, the subject was on cryogenics. His stare turned from the book and towards it's owner.

That was the first time Morgan laid his eyes on Victoria Fries.

-

When Victoria Fries was but a girl, she loved the snow.

She wasn't sure why, there was always something magical about the snowflakes and winter that stirred up a sense of belonging. Maybe because her happiest memories were traveling Gotham in the winter, her mother and father's hand grasped in hers."Dad!" A young Victoria called out to her father, Victor Fries. "Can we go ice skating?"
Back when her family was complete, when it wasn't broken. Victor did not allow his eyes to shy away from his computer. "Not now Victoria, maybe some other time."
Nora Fries developed a fatal disease, Victor Fries wouldn't accept his wife not having any sort of chance. So he placed her in cryostasis, determined to find a cure for his dear wife. Victor wouldn't accept that he lost his wife. Victoria placed the last ornament on the small Christmas tree, her eyes trailed to the star that had yet to be placed on top.
Victoria not only lost her mother, but her father as well. Victor Fries was so close to a breakthrough. "Not now, Victoria!" She was easily dismissed from his one track mind.
Victoria developed a feeling of emptyness, of a cold feeling deep inside of her that she could never be rid of. The world was bright and colorful as a child, but as she grew, everything seemed so dull and lifeless. He slapped the ornament and folders off of his desk mindlessly, replacing them with books and charts, hastily rushing through page after page. Victoria was left to pick up the pieces of the star by herself.
Victoria blinked lightly, returning her attention to the lesson in the classroom.

-

"Didn't you hear?"

"What?"

"They-they found Mandy's body in the gym! She was-she was-!"

Morgan's attention went back to the front of the classroom. It was the gossip of the day, that girl, Mandy's death.

"You think Freezy could of done it?"

"Huh? No way, she couldn't even hurt a flower if she wanted to. She just creeps me out honestly."

Morgan tapped his pen against his closed book. Victoria was only a desk away and they didn't bother to keep their voices down. They knew Victoria could hear them, they simply didn't care. Morgan wondered just what inside of them thought it was okay to be this way. He already knew the answer, Morgan knew he himself could have ended up with such a mentality.

The bell rung, reminding everyone it was lunch time. The students went on their way, rushing quickly out of the classroom.

Morgan's eyes trailed after Victoria, who always walked out of class by herself.

-

Victoria stared dully at the boy who sat in front of her. She would always eat alone in one of the less commonly used staircases.

She didn't know what the new student wanted from her, someone always wanted something. She watched as he just sat there and ate his lunch. He didn't say a word, he didn't stare at her. Once he finished his lunch, he rolled his trash into a ball, picked up his bag and left.

Even as weird as the moment was, it left her mind quickly.

The boy showed up for the third day in a row, and that forced her to say something. "What do you want from me?" Her water bottle creaked under her grip. Why was he messing with her like this? She wasn't prone to outbursts or feeling her emotions very deeply, but for some reason he was getting a reaction out of her.

The new student, she still didn't remember his name, looked over to her with a slight smile on his lips, but again he just left and it frustrated her further.

The fourth day she couldn't even focus on eating her lunch. "Is this funny to you?" She questioned without meeting his eyes. He still refused to answer her, he just consumed his lunch and left.

On the fifth day, he finally spoke to her. "You fancy John Douglas don't you?" He asked knowingly.

Victoria felt her cheeks heat up at the mention of the other boy, as she looked away from him. "Are you here to make fun of me? Why do you keep coming here?" She wanted to be alone, not be harrased, but it seems she could never have what she wanted. It made her want to curl up into a ball and shout.

A can of soda was held out to her. "My name is Morgan, you're Victoria aren't you?" She looked hesitantly at the beverage, but delicately took it from her strange peer. This was such an odd experience, she had no clue how to deal with this Morgan intruding in her space.
A quick slice to neck is all it would take...

"Thank you, Morgan..." She offered her thanks, still unsure about his strangeness.

Morgan closed his eyes as he walked away again, Victoria watching him leaving as she always had these few days.

That was the day Victoria made her first friend.

-

It was a tense atmosphere, it always was when there were witnesses to something as bad as this. You weren't sure if the boy was in any condition to talk, so you made your way to the girl, who seemed a bit skittish.

"Hello, I'm Detective Yoker." You greeted the girl with your badge, hoping it would cause her to trust you a bit. "I was told you were one of the students to find the bodies. Would you be willing to tell me what happened?"

She avoided your eyes. "I..." You couldn't tell if she was nervous or completely apathetic at the moment. You probably weren't going to get answers by just barraging her with questions, a gentler approach was necessary.

You sighed and rubbed your neck. "I'm sorry you had to be caught up in something like this. How about sitting at the diner across the street? Out of this rain?" You offered gently.

The girl tightened the blanket over her shoulders, you noticed a cracked watch on her wrist, she nodded. She walked over to the boy and crouch to his level. She tugged at the arm of his sweater. "Morgan..." She whispered hoarsely.

Morgan raised his head, dull eyes recognized the young woman. "I'm sorry, Victoria..." He apologized to her for something.

Victoria shook her head slightly and encouraged him onto his feet. The kid seemed slightly out of it as Victoria looped her arm around his, guiding him to you. Well if she could get the kid to talk to you then you didn't have any objections.

The three of you sat at a booth in the diner, clearly in view of the other cops. You took a sip of your coffee, Victoria had a cup of hot chocolate and Morgan had a black coffee. They had yet to touch their drinks. You sighed as you placed your cup back onto the table.

"I'll tell you what I saw, Detective Yoker." Victoria approached the subject, she looked over to Morgan who nodded.

Article:

I stayed after school because of a project that is due at the end of the week.

I think I remember it being 7:05 pm, I had to use the restroom, the restrooms near the library were out of order, I had to go to another floor.

While walking, I heard a scream from down the hall, it was so sudden!

I thought someone might have fallen, so I went to take a look, thinking maybe they needed some help.

That's when Morgan showed up with a stack of papers, he heard the scream as well.

When we entered...There was so much blood...

Morgan rushed over to John and Jane.

John was...John was still alive, but he was so pale.

Morgan tried to help him up, but John was too weak.

His arms and neck were dripping so much...

He reached out to Morgan, almost as if he was trying to hold on.

I already called the police and ambulance, but by the time they got here it was too late!

I still can't believe they're...Why would they do such a thing?

Source: Victoria's Statement

Article:

I am part of the student council, so I had to stay behind and organize student feedback and permission forms.

I needed to make photocopies, so I had to go to the faculty office on the third floor.

On my way back to the student council room I heard a scream.

Not a lot of students stay behind after school, so I figured someone was in trouble.

The scream came from one of the classrooms on the third floor.

I saw Victoria down the hall, running towards the same destination.

I assumed she was helping one of the teachers or was at the library.

We decided to investigate together, I felt something was very wrong so I went in first.

As I stepped in, my shoe touched something sticky, it was a puddle of blood.

I dropped the stack of papers in my hand and ran over to the two people laying on the floor.

Jane...She didn't respond at all...

John was...He was still alive when I made it over to him!

If only I had gotten there sooner! I could have saved them.

I...I just...still can't believe this happened after the other student accident that happened only two months ago.

Source: Morgan's Statement

You placed your pen down onto the table as you looked over your notes. Something wasn't right, you were sure of it.

You could feel it in your gut, something was being hidden.

Spoiler: Information on the case

John and Jane's time of death was somewhere between 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

To get from the first floor to the third floor takes ten minutes by the stairs. The elevators were currently out of order.

There is a library on the first and fifth floors.

The student council room is located on the sixth floor.

Press the witness!

[ ] Victoria's statement.
-[ ] What line from her statement? (Write-in)

[ ] Morgan's statement.
-[ ] What line from his statement? (Write-in)

[ ] Write-in