Gotham Yule
Gotham Yule
Snow falls heavily on the streets of Gotham City as Christmas draws ever nearer. In the suicide slums the Penguin is looking for someone aided by Killer Croc and Bane along with several dozen flunkies. The arch criminal is very agitated as the Riddler comes over to join them.
"What do you want, Eddie?" Penguin asks of the Riddler.
"Just wondering what you're doing out here, Ozzie," Ed Nigma returns to Oswald Cobblepot.
"Not tonight, Ed," Penguin says with the other two villains for hire looming behind him as the business man sneers at his old acquaintance. "What I am doing here I don't need to find its way to certain ears if you catch my drift?"
"Move along, Riddler," Bane growls, "before I break you."
"Alright, alright," Riddler says as he backs away with his hands in front of him to fend off any hostilities from Bane.
"Bane, be a dear and make sure he does not return if you would, please?" Penguin orders semi politely as Bane just nods and makes his way to attack Riddler then turns to Killer Croc. "Croc, you know why I brought you along."
"Aye, Penguin," Croc states, "The wolf-bear escaped his cage. I've been itching to get after him after he humiliated me."
"Still smarting after that match are we?" Penguin says with a smirk. "I can't say I blame you. He turned your special match against you. Fortunately for you, he's no killer like you. But I may want him dead before the night is out. After all I can't have my plans disrupted now can I?"
Bane catches up with Riddler around the corner just as he is taking a cell phone out of his pocket. Not bothering to announce himself he catches the other member of Batman's gallery of rogues in a sleeper hold as a set of eyes observes him. Once Riddler is out a black furred anthropomorphic animal that is mostly bear with the head and tail of a wolf sprints from the shadows to tackle Bane and knock him out by getting him in a sleeper hold that even when augmented by venom he would be hard pressed to escape and the wolf-bear makes sure that if Bane has any of that or any derivative of that drug on him, he is fundamentally cut off from it as it means the buff human is even less a match for him pound for pound and muscle for muscle as he does his best to make sure that Bane cannot call out to Penguin for help even if he knew that the monster, the very same thing that Penguin is after tonight, is in the warehouse..
A pair of mimes who look to be in their early teens runs by him in the warehouse pursued by a boy dressed like a werewolf and a younger girl dressed like a fox. The mimes are gothic clones of the Joker and Harley Quinn which is appropriate considering that both the Fool and his sister the Imp are the son and daughter of that criminal couple while their pursuers, the Wolf Child and the Flying Fox are likewise the son and daughter of Gotham's crime fighting couple of Batman and the reformed Catwoman in whose secret identity is Selina Wayne, wife of Bruce Wayne. The monster makes his way back into the shadows but not before Michael Wayne and his sister Mary spot him.
Imp and Fool make good their getaway but Wolf Child and Flying Fox have something better to tell their father about.
"Alright, whatever you are," Wolf Child yells, "We saw you!"
"We're taking you in, monster!" Flying Fox adds with bravado.
"Keep your voices down!" The monster growls, "They'll hear you!"
"Who will?" Wolf Child asks before he hears a familiar voice call out.
"I heard something over there!" Penguin's voice rings out. "Get flashlights in that warehouse!"
"Penguin!" Flying fox exclaims.
"Hush!" Wolf Child growls, "Into the shadows like dad taught us!"
Wolf Child and Flying Fox join the monster in the shadows as gang members storm the warehouse. Killer Croc sniffs the air as the children of the Bat find the creature and hide with him despite the fact he is six inches over nine feet tall. Flying Fox opens a channel to the Bat Cave for their parents to listen in as her brother interviews the monster.
"OK," Wolf Child whispers, "What's your story?"
"You might as well make this quick my monster of the shadows!" Penguin calls as he waltzes in. "You have nowhere to hide!"
"Penguin got some scientists in deep with him," the Monster explains, "Got them to make things like me, half human, half animal hybrids for his hidden brothels and gladiatorial games. I never liked what he made me do, so I decided to go find some help."
"I can think of someone that can help you," Wolf Child says, "Heck, we could use someone like you against things like Croc and Bane."
"If you're talking about the Batman, I'd be happy to serve as his agent," the Monster says with a nod.
Back in the Bat Cave Batman and Catwoman were having some quality time alone until the call got patched through as Flying Fox had turned on the audio recorder and cell phone worked into her helmet by Harold, the deformed genius working for the Batman as soon as they got the thing talking. Batman wants the creature brought to him as soon as possible and tells his children to do that as Damien glares at the scene from the shadows. Tim and Stephanie are there as well and get the coordinates of where Mike and Mary are so they can go their rescue as Red Robin and Bat Girl.
Before Bruce can give Tim the mission, he and Stephanie are on the case in Tim's custom car, which Alfred informs his master and Mistress has been taken out in quite a hurry. Bruce smiles as he contacts Nightwing but finds out he's a little busy with Oracle at present so Bruce leaves the two alone. None the less Barbara checks out the secret signals that all members of the Bat family keep on them to keep abreast on who is going where.
The Red Hood is also watching as he keeps an eye on one of those who replaced him when he, Jason Todd died in the service of the Bat. Right now he chooses to do nothing as he keeps vigil but he is not alone in taking interest in tonight's festivities as the Joker and his family decide to have a night out after his son tells daddy about the creature that distracted Wolf Child away from chasing him. Even as they go on the march, the Thorn goes on the prowl as well, eager to be away from her mother, Poison Ivy for a few hours on vigilante patrol as she looks for Wolf Child to see if she can join him and his sister.
Wolf Child and Flying Fox form an alliance with the creature who has decided to call himself the Shadow Monster for various reasons, a code name that amuses not only Michael and Mary Wayne but Bruce and Selina as well. Shadow Monster seems to appear out of nowhere as he leaps from the shadows to attack a mook and then is gone before reinforcements can arrive as Wolf Child and the Flying Fox do much the same as they move around in shadows to sneak up on their targets and take them out individually. Bane is out for the count as Red Robin and Bat Girl make their appearance which forces Penguin to retreat and leave the fighting to his minions.
The gangbangers keep everyone busy as Killer Croc moves to crush a few members of the competition. At least until he gets grabbed and thrown on his rear by Shadow Monster. Killer Croc is angered at being ambushed by Shadow Monster and roars at him.
"Cheap shot!" Croc yells. "And by a nobody!
"You've done worse," Shadow Monster retorts, "And Penguin gave me the idea for my code name. Call me Shadow Monster!"
"Shadow Monster, huh?" Croc snorts as he charges only to be felled by a powerful upper cut from the wolf-bear. "Been practicing some moves? It won't help you!"
"I beg to differ!" Shadow Monster snarls as he tackles Killer Croc before pounding away at him.
Croc takes a vicious bite out of Monster which the massive mammal reel from but doesn't let slow him down as he puts his should down and charges. Killer Croc is knocked back but stays on his feet in a daze. This sets him up for a sleeper hold from Shadow Monster that he locks in before doing a neck breaker wrestling move that knocks Croc out.
Shadow Monster climbs up the wall of the warehouse with great ease before making a super leap into the river. Wolf Child and Flying Fox call for the bat boat in order to guide Shadow Monster to the Bat Cave. It arrives in record time as police sirens start to wail in the nearby vicinity.
Batman opens a secret underwater entrance to his lair for Shadow Monster to use as his children arrive home safe and sound. Oracle and Nightwing are on hand to welcome and help Shadow Monster if he needs it, which ultimately he does not. As Oracle runs some tests on him, Shadow Monster does his best to explain to Bruce how he came to be and where his people are being kept.
Fortunately for those involved in the project that created the humanimals, Shadow Monster doesn't know what specific employees where involved in the secret project as Bruce Wayne would like to fire all of them. Right now the only one he knows is involved is the Penguin but there is no connection he can find to link him to the act so no legal action can be taken. Although even without that issue there is the issue of what to do with the more than a thousand creatures now living in bondage.
Oracle electronically sets up a fund for their general care and feeding as she notes that from the Penguin's own records some of the hybrids were created so that they could act as security if needed. If the humanimals could be trusted those made to be security could make excellent police creatures in any number of different roles. Barbara makes this note into a flag for her own later reference and sends her father, Police Commissioner Jim Gordon, a note on this as Oracle.
James Gordon receives the enhanced email in his office while chewing out Harvey Bullock for something he did. Fortunately for Bullock, Jim likes to be alone when he gets messages like this from the Batman and his constituents so the tirade he was going to have to withstand from his superior is cut short as Jim get the feeling that this is a priority. Upon reading the email, Jim is just about ready o go through the roof but the note that some of the hybrids are security trained somewhat calms him down as it means that there is the potential of making them cops under his command which will have its own set of problems but the potential of the good they can do for Gotham far outweighs any harm or scrutiny their inclusion to his department would garner.
Batman also sends word of this to Superman in Metropolis and Mister Terrific in the Watchtower of the Justice League orbiting the Earth. Superman sees the potential in not just Shadow Monster but all the humanimals as potential members of the Justice League even if they are perennially junior members. Mister Terrific is concerned about the potential backlash from the public especially if they go berserk which Batman addresses but having seen the specs on how they were put together there is no more risk of that than any other normal person since the DNA of the humanimals is a pure fusion human and animal tweaked to be what they are now and is not shy about revealing that.
Back in Gotham an alert goes out as another of Penguin's humanimals goes streaking about town. The alert is less about what she isn't wearing and more about she is as Wonder Woman gets a notice that her adversary the Cheetah is in Gotham. Wonder Woman contacts Batman who has already determined that despite the fact that yes this is a female anthropomorphic cheetah running around downtown Gotham with little clothing on the fact that she ground velocity exceeds that of most automobiles that were not designed from the get go for excessive speeds rather confirms that this is not the super villainess cheetah; of course the fact that she has pink hair on top of her head also rather confirms this.
It's actually the hair that caused Diana to contact Bruce, or rather trying to reach his wife Selina, as her nemesis is not in the habit of such things but a follower of Catwoman just might be inclined to do this. Oracle directs certain cameras in Gotham to clock her speed and confirms that she could give the Flash a run for his money as fastest humanoid alive. Shadow Monster confirms that the cheetah is one of his fellow hybrids as she is pursued by animal control along with other vehicles that Catwoman just knows belong to Penguin.
Shadow Monster is ordered to help bring her in, an order he relishes as he and the cat were friends with benefits when he was under Penguin's thumb and it's a relationship he would like to continue. Selina wants her brought in for her own reasons, her affinity with cats being first and foremost of these. Bruce is well aware of this and while placating his wife is one of the reasons he's willing to add miss kitty to his menagerie the fact that she is a speedster takes greater precedent.
Deadshot gets himself into a sniper position as he prepares his rifle with tranquilizer rounds as Penguin wants the cat brought in alive if at all possible. As luck would have it, the cheetah woman momentarily manages to elude all her pursuers and lean against a wall of Oracle's clock tower. Oracle decides to take the opportunity to open a door and try to lure her inside.
"Hey, cat!" Oracle calls from inside of her tower. "Want a place to hide for a bit?"
"Who are you?" She asks with some trepidation, "One of Penguin's flunkies. Monster is still trying to evade the catchers."
"I am Oracle, I am a friend of the Batman," Oracle states, "if you're talking about the big wolf-bear, that Wolf Child and Flying Fox found last night, Batman took him in. He's safe and we would offer you sanctuary as well."
"You mean I can work for Batman, Catwoman and the rest while doing my best to take Penguin and his cronies down a peg?" She asks.
"Absolutely!" Oracle confirms.
"I'm in!" She says and races inside.
"Oracle to Batman," Barbara sends to Bruce: "The cat came in."
"Help her with a code name, please," Selina answers. "I'm bringing Shadow with me to collect her."
"Will do, Selina," Barbara says with a smirk. Then she goes down to where the cheetah girl is laying on a couch lightly dozing. She awakens quickly and glares at Barbara as she approaches. "Calm down, Miss Kitty, I'm Oracle, Shadow Monster and Catwoman are coming to take you were Shadow is living for now but I need to help you come up with a name."
"Name?" She says and realizes that she never really had one. "We never really needed them, I know Penguin called us all monsters, or numbers when he wanted someone specific."
"Well, we will need to call you something a little nicer than that," Oracle states with a smirk. "Batman has already accepted Shadow Monster as part of his team. And if enough of you have super powers than he can make a whole team of you to help out. You were running pretty fast earlier."
"Penguin experimented on a few us to create a team to combat the Justice League," She admits. "Shadow as you call him, was made to try and give Superman some headaches but fell a little short. I was made to distract the Flash, which is one reason I was chosen, cheetahs are fast in the wild, so Penguin had his people accentuate that."
"Sounds like they did a better job, but they may have aimed too high in trying to make someone to counter superman," Oracle says an idea comes to her. "How about we call you Velocikitty?"
She laughs after she thinks it over for a second. "I like it. It fits me pretty much to a tee."
"Deadshot to Penguin," Deadshot says as he watches an alley as a van shows up.
"Penguin here," Cobblepot growls, "Tell me you shot the cat."
"Not that good I'm afraid," Deadshot reports. "Catwoman just arrived at a clock tower owned by Wayne. She has the monster with her."
"The cat was often frisky with him," Penguin remembers. "She could be in the vicinity. Keep me posted."
"I see her," Deadshot reports. "She just came out of the tower. She's getting into the van with the monster."
"Catwoman is driving I suppose?" Penguin asks.
"You got it, boss," Deadshot confirms.
"Dammit!" Penguin swears. "Now the damned Bat has both of them!"
"And they are only the first," Oracle's digital voice promises as she interposes herself on the conversation. "Batman is going to put them to better use, Penguin. I suggest you cut your losses and run before we find a way to charge you with something."
"I suppose killing them would constitute murder wouldn't it?" Penguin grouses with dark mirth.
"Just remember that Shadow Monster and now Velocikitty work for us," Oracle warns. "I know the Bat will not be shy about using them if it means rescue. And just for your edification, the police already know about them."
"You told the cops!´ Penguin yells in a startled tone. "Very well, I suppose I must concede this time."
As much as he might want a pyrrhic victory and destroying the humanimals, he knows better as while Shadow Monster may not be a killer at heart, he would rather not push that envelope too far to see what the thing is capable of. A psychic sheep lady disappears on her own and just appears in the Batcave after finding away to dream travel from her secured location to where her friends are staying and takes on the code name of Ewe Mind. A series of assassinations follow as those Wayne Foundation scientists that were involved in the project to create the humanimals are found dead, as Penguin does not want any of them to suddenly grow a moral backbone and try to betray him.