[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]   P R E S E N T[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR]
[CENTER][img]https://i.imgur.com/P9RhgII.png[/img][/CENTER]
[center][color=darkgray][b][sub]C H A P T E R   O N E :   G R O W I N G   P A I N S[/sub][/b][/color][b][color=INDIANRED][sup][h1]PLAY DATE[/h1][/sup][/color][/b][/center]
[COLOR=INDIANRED][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]G O T H A M   C I T Y[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=SILVER]November 18[sup]th[/sup], 2017 - 12:12 AM | [i]The Bowery[/i][/color][/sup][/INDENT]
[INDENT][INDENT]The body belonged to a woman. Her skin glistened in the alley lights, pale and reflective having taken a property not unlike porcelain. Heavy make up laid upon her face, her eyes wired wide open as a grin was held firmly on her face. Damian knelt to take a closer look as Leslie wrapped her arms around Stephanie to comfort the girl.
The deceased woman’s lips had been artificially inflated, almost to an exaggerated effect although Damian couldn’t be sure what was an after effect of her death and what was the true intended appearance. The body was draped in rather juvenile clothing, knee socks with a frock dress, hair pulled into pigtails with frilly ribbon holding them together.

[color=darkorchid][b]“She looks like…”[/b][/color] Stephanie’s voice hesitated least she say what everyone had already concluded.

[color=indianred][b]“A doll.”[/b][/color] Damian said as he finished Stephanie’s sentence breaking the silence as he stood. [color=indianred][b]“TT.”[/b][/color] He clicked his tongue before continuing. [color=indianred][b]“She’s been made to look like a doll for reasons I’m not able to ascertain at this moment. This particular modus operandi doesn’t match any of Batman’s usual foes.”[/b][/color]

[color=lightsteelblue][b]“I’ve cured plenty of people infected with Joker’s gas, young man and that girl has seen the worst of it.”[/b][/color] Leslie’s tone showed the contempt she felt towards Damian. Clearly the Doctor would have preferred dealing with Damian’s father.

[color=indianred][b]“I disagree Doctor.”[/b][/color] Damian replied to Leslie. [color=indianred][b]“Joker’s venom does far more damage, the girl’s expression still looks natural, the smile while forced appears genuine. Joker’s venom inflicts a twisted version of his own scars upon its victims. If this is in fact based on the Joker’s venom, then it has been modified for a new use.”[/b][/color]

[color=darkorchid][b]“Modified by who, and why?”[/b][/color] Stephanie asked stepping forward, the colour had returned to her cheeks, Damian noted.

[color=lightsteelblue][b]“It could still be the Joker. There’s no method to his madness. The clown is a disease; anarchy and chaos are his symptoms. He does not confine himself to your logic and reasoning young man, do not dismiss the possibility that you are out of your league.”[/b][/color] Leslie’s tone was angry but even Stephanie could detect the hint of care behind it. [color=lightsteelblue][b]“If you go against the Joker, he will kill you, especially if you wear [i]that[/i].”[/b][/color] She emphasized the last word as she nodded towards Damian’s Batsuit.

[color=lightsteelblue][b]“I may not be the world’s greatest detective, but I’ve worked in Crime Alley long enough to know that the underbelly of this city doesn’t swap ghost stories for a good scare, they tell Joker stories. And the relationship your father has with the Pale Man of Gotham is one the Clown Prince won’t take kindly to having it disrupted.”[/b][/color] Leslie’s words fell on the deaf ears of Damian however as the son of the Bat was already preparing to mobilize as reports of a body being discovered in central Gotham.

[color=indianred][b]“Second body discovered. Message carved into his chest and torso.”[/b][/color] Damian stated flatly as he held his fingers to his mouth and whistled sharply. [color=indianred][b]“Call this in for me.”[/b][/color] He requested, motioning with his head towards the body of the girl as the sound of flapping wings echoed overhead.

Looking skyward, Stephanie’s mouth dropped as a giant winged creature descended upon the alley. Large enough for a grown man to ride, the creature was covered from head to tail, and it did have a tail, in red fur.

[color=darkorchid][b]“What is that?”[/b][/color] Stephanie asked in awe.

[color=indianred][b]“This is Goliath.”[/b][/color] Damian replied as he climbed onto the saddle mounted on the creature’s back. [color=indianred][b]“Central Gotham, Goliath.”[/b][/color] Damian ordered as the creature flapped its wings, a gust of air causing Leslie and Stephanie to stagger as Damian was brought into the air before departing into the darkness of a Gotham night.

[color=lightsteelblue][b]“That boy is going to get himself killed.”[/b][/color] Leslie muttered while pulling out a cellphone. [color=lightsteelblue][b]“GCPD, please.”[/b][/color] She stated as Stephanie stood, her jaw still hanging in awe of Goliath.[/INDENT][/INDENT]