The Darkest Knight: Road Trippin'

"Oh well, me and Robert went to London for about two hours." Karmy said as she picked something on the menu. "He had said he had never been so I thought as a Christmas present I would take him." she smiled. "Since I'm broke like glass. Then we had some.. "Fun" on top of Big Ben."

Wintergreen looked at his phone, looking at the dish Karmy had picked. "First it's Robert and I, Ms. Bay, the trick is to make the sentence singular and say it again. Me went to London for two hours makes no sense. I went to London for two hours is proper. Secondly, I hope you used protection seeing as you have not made any serious commitments to your relationship with Mr. Bay. Lastly, good choice on the vegan menu, I'll fetch it for you." He said turning on his heel and walking politely to the kitchen.

"Hey, I never went to school so hush it mister WinterMINT!" Karmy yelled back to him. "Also, my last name is still Anderson for the moment, WinterMINT. Of course I used protection, sheesh, I don't want to get pregnant just yet." she started mumbling to herself and walked over to talk to Alice.

Damian shot another face at Nicole in hopes she would "read his face" as she so expressed as itwas so easy to read.

Alice wheeled to where everyone was, Dick leading Luna and John in the living room. "Alice! How're you feeling?" He asked approaching her in which her only response was nodding her head. "Listen; Babs and I were wondering if you'd be happy to take up a job offer that's open in our department in Batman Incorporated, I know you've been working hard on the project, so we're asking you to endeavor in a the clerical scene. Do background checks, look up schematics and offer insight to the agents." Dick whispered to her. Alice backed up in her wheelchair. "Oracle." Alice repeated back to Dick what she heard him say, he nodded. "I'll think about it."

Wintergreen completely ignored Karmy, he had a good sense of selective hearing.

Wanting to start up a conversation, Crimson put down his empty glass of eggnog and thought up a question to ask everyone.

"Whats the one thing you've always wanted for christmas sence you were just a little kid?" he asked.

Ivy was dressed in a light green blouse and black slacks, leaning against the wall with, as always, Zero beside her. She smiled and waved when Luna and John came in. It felt like everyone was together for Christmas, and she couldn't remember the last time she had one that felt like this. So warm and right. With jokes and laughter, and, if at least for a second, no worries. Then reality settles back in and her mind wanders to wedding plans, naming her baby, picking a house to live in, if anyone will like the presents she got...

She shakes her head, as if shaking the troubles away.

"An aardvark stuffed animal." She declared in response to Crimson's query. "Always wanted one, and still kinda do."

"Ohh that would be so cool! Granted, as long as it's not a real aardvark or you and I would both be crying.." Karmy laughed as she waved high to them, her Santa hat slipping down over her eye's again. "I always wanted a box full of giant crayons when I was little, with a giant pad of paper." she gleamed as she adjusted her hat. "That would be so awesome!"

"I always wanted my parents. I still kinda do." Alice said mainly to herself as if that would have lifted the mood in the mansion. Damian face palmed and sighed, 'doesn't know the meaning of festive' spun in his head. Dick felt uncomfortable and instinctively looked out the window. Snow gently fell on the window panes, creating an icy art piece every time his warm breath hit the chilled glass.

Even on christmas, there was no rest for the weary, as one Sarah Roper could testify. Burried in a filefolder full of papers in preperation to publicly fry president what's her face for all the crap that happened a month ago, she wanted to make sure she got it 100% correct. That Bozo didn't deserve to run a lap, let alone a country. "Want to know what *I* want for christmas? A botomless bottle of Asprin." She said in response to the question, taking a quickk glimpse up from the papers. Just because she ahd a semi robotic brain didn't mean she wasn't immune to headaches.

Zero was still pasted to his bride- to -be, as usual. Ah, young love. He gave a wave and and said a quick "Hey there" to Luna and John as they walked in, before giving his own reply to Crimson's question. "I dunno, I've pretty much got all I could ever want." He said, giving Ivy a quick squeeze and smooch on the cheek, beign ever the romantic ham he was. Besides, he was never really into possesions- didn't own much, and hadn't owned much in the past, so he never really asked for much of anything. Mind you, he took care to jot a mental note that Ivy wanted a toy Aardvark....

"You know, I can probably produce one of those for you if you really wanted, Cyssy." Karmy tried to get Cyrah to stop working and join in in all the Christmas merriment. As everyone continued to mix and mingle, the snow continued to fall slow outside. It truly was a silent night, and it seemed as if nothing could disturb the joyous evening. That being said though, there was someone out there who's plans didn't consist of baking cookies for Santa or hanging up Christmas ornaments. No, he had other plans. And they were about to go off in 3..2..

BOOM

The explosion atop the Wayne Bank could not only be seen for miles, the sound of it carried all the way to the mansion. Screams and police sirens echoed around the city as a lone officer raced up to the top of the police station. A certain light needed to be shed on the situation.

Barbara looked out the window as the entire company felt the shock from the blast. She looked over to where Dick was but he was already gone. She then turned to all the available heroes. She looked to Alice who looked away. "I always wanted a world without crime." Barbara muttered.

Dick, now in the Batcave expected Damian and Nicole to be following him at the least, if Damian was there Nicole would be. Dick began to suit up, he threw his cape over his shoulder and saw Damian enter the Batcave. "I'm telling you, if we're expanding, we gotta get more room." Damian said gearing up. "We will be in time. Where's Leon?" Dick asked equipping his cowl. "Once the signal goes up, he gets the notice." Damian replied. "So he's meeting us at the Police station." Dick said in conjunction. "That's right. Anyone else up for it?" Damian asked. "No. Leon is our most trained so far. Not anywhere close to you but he needs some experience. Quickly, to the Batmobile."

"Awwwwwww mann!" Karmy whined and she grabbed her bag from around her shoulder. "It's so cold outside! Whoever the hell is doing this is gonna get their ass kicked." she mumbled and grumbled as she jumped into her bag to change clothes. After a moment, she popped back out. "Why the hell do idiots always attack during the worst weather and when we're all happy?" she was now dressed in her usual attire but with a long black, thermal shirt underneath. "Crime never sleeps, bastards have even worse insomnia than I do." she muttered.

"Go get em' tiger." Alice said to Karmy, reclining back into her seat.

"Well i DID want a missle launching action figure, but i guess nows not the time for this." Cimson said as he zoomed into the room he was sleeping in and emerged 1 minute later in his usual crimefighting attire, only with gloves and a black windbreaker. "Ok this is just WRONG. can't we all just have one peaceful crime free christmas?" he said as he tightened his gloves.

"Haha. You're leaving your woman sport by staying with the cripple and prego.. No offense Babs." Alice said to John then looked over to Barbara, who was obviously upset that she couldn't join the fight. But not going cause he didn't have any tights... that was lame. At least She and Barbara would have some company.

Batman didn't even look behind him to acknowledge Robin. "Damian get in the back seat, you know Robin rides shotgun." He told him unemotionally, closing the top door. "And you know if you're not ready in time, we're always leaving without you. Remember when I told you the first day on the job?" Batman started the engine and they were out of the Batcave in no time. "Expedience is key."

"You do. But we should be on our toes at all times. Even on Christmas." Batman told Robin, pulling up to the Police Station. "Everyone out. Lets move." He said lifting the roof of the car and shooting a grapple to the top of the station.

"That's okay." Alice smiled leaning further back into her wheelchair. "Neither am I."

Barbara nearly rolled her eyes at the blunt lies Alice told John. She never really spoke to him so she could get away with saying anything to him. Alice was being a general jerk to him, and all she could do was look out the window to stare at the Batsignal. The Call to Arms, and the symbol that put criminals in fear.

Karmy watched as the dynamic duo made their way up to the top of the police station. "That's such a slow method." she said and walked over to the rest of the team. The place where the explosion had taken place was at least five blocks away, so, they should probably get moving. "Anyone need a lift over to the site of the explosion?" she asked.

Meanwhile, up top the police station, the lone police officer waited nervously for Batman to arrive. Poor rookie had panicked when the explosion had gone off, and, following the commissioners orders, he had come up here to signal the Dark Knight. Well, that would be the story that he would be using of course. He wasn't about to blurt out that he had been hired by Drain-O to distract them! No, that would just be silly! "Batman!" he shouted he saw the duo reach the top. "There's a situation downtown..." he stuttered. He had been holding his weapon in his hand.

Batman walked over to the officer. "Obviously. Felt the explosion from my house, any background on the bombs? I trust Mame hasn't broken out of Arkham just yet." Batman looked around for Leon. Strange that he wasn't here by now. The name of Batman didn't just go out to anyone.

Although Zero could warp himself and Ivy, he figured his haggard sister couldn't stand to soak up some of Karmy's spontaneousness. "I can bring us, why don't you portal everyone else, like Sis?" He asked. Cyrah peeked out from behind her wall of papers. "I don't wanna'." She grumbled. "C'mon, you need tog et out." Zero protested. "Besides, it's the whole hero thing, remember? You HAVE to." he reasoned. Cyrah gave off an indignant growl and got to her feet, trudging voer to Karmy. "Fiiiiiiiiine, I'll go." She grumbled. "Lead on, sis."

Ivy bit her lower lip. She couldn't stop herself from joining the fight but ever since the baby she had been careful to never be in the direct way. Rather, she'd hide behind a building a throw rocks at people. It'd been working so far; the doctor said both her and the baby were fine. But still, before an impending fight, she'd get these nerves that something would go wrong, that something would hurt them both. On the day of their Christmas party, she brushed these concerns aside. How bad could anything be, during such a cheery time?

The officer, lets call him Officer Perry, hesitated a moment, shaking in fear of the dark knight. Even if he was being manipulated to work for Drain-O, he was still a rookie to the police force and had never really scene all that much action, in the field at least. "I-I'm not sure, Mr. Batman, sir." he stuttered, rubbing the back of his head. "I do know that it wasn't Mame, I think the docs still had her in the body cast or something after the last time she got out." he continued talking, in hopes to keep Batman talking as well.


"Alright, sounds fine to me. I'll bring Cyssy and Luna." Karmy replied as she pulled out a pair of fingerless gloves to keep her hands warm, but also so that she could use her powers at the same time. Granted, if there was going to be any fighting, that would surely warm everyone up nicely. "Let's go!" she snapped her fingers and they were off to the site. As they landed and Zero and Ivy appeared they were in quite the little shock.

A masked maniac, with a giant, pink hat, the shape of a brain on his head stood in front of the blaze. His spandex suit, which was quite tight and really showed how old and flabby he was underneath. Though, he was probably around his late forties. He was laughing quite the evil laugh, and his henchmen, about 10-15 of them, ran around the street's, wrecking havoc and being annoying little pricks. Once the 5 super powered hero's appeared, all eye's turned towards them. Drain-O took his bullhorn and yelled to his henchmen his infamous battle cry: "Suck 'em!" and the battle begun.

Batman shot a hookshot into the night. "If you have nothing else to say, we can find out the problem on our own." And with that they were gone. "Waste of time, Damian on my six. Robin, cover. We're going in." Batman said on the com. "Any sign of Leon?" Damian asked. "Leon will have to fend for himself if he plans on coming."

Several Batarangs flew in the night sky knocking up some henchmen across the backs of their heads. "Suck on this.." A shadowy figure top an apartment complex's roof called out to get their attention. Batman?

"No!" Officer Perry panicked when he saw the Dark Knight leave, and he was worried that if he didn't distract Batman for the certain amount of time, he wouldn't get the large amount of money that Drain-O had offered him. "Goddamn sonova-" pulling out his firearm, he started firing off into the streets, in hopes bringing Batman back if he hit a civilian or something.

"Oh that's just great. Damian.." Batman turned to though he kept shooting for ground zero of the blast. "Gotcha Batman, I'll take care of him." Damian nodded to him. "God, what is he doing? Firing his gun at civilians?" Batman asked Robin.

Officer Perry was quite the dumbass, a thug for hire who's only intent of joining the Gotham Police force was to earn the big bucks by being a dirty, corrupted cop. Apparently, he was even worse at being a hired crook than being an actual cop, however possible that is. "Oh shi-" he stopped firing when he saw Damian coming after him. He was after bigger fish, namely being that of Batman, so he started shooting the tight wearing hero, running away at the same time to at least draw some attention.