[b]Scene Title:[/b] A Knight At The Museum

[b]Characters:[/b]  Batman (DCAU) and Azumi, with a few references to Spider-Man and Scarecrow, along with other villains inside Arkham City.

[b]Premise:[b]  Penguin's rising up as the premier black-market salesman inside the confines of Arkham City, and is just about ready to go to war with Joker.  It's going to take some finesse, a lot of brute force, and a little bit of manipulation to get it done.

"Well now, it's not right 'aving ye lot botchin' up all me work."  Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot gets up from his table's chair, his umbrella tapping against the floor, a lit cigar in his open hand, enjoying his life's work with the Iceberg Lounge.  "Give me one good reason why I shouldn' toss ye with all the other gaffers."

"C'mon, Mr. Cobblepot, you know all of us.  You know we followed your orders to a T each and every time.  We grabbed weapons, set up jammers, set up strikes against any other person trying to take command..."

"Yeah, and it's not our fault that the Joker's skank and the TYGER guards keep up the pressure on us!  And now with the Bat in here..."

"I've 'eard enough from the two of ye."  Cobblepot places his stogie in the nearby ashtray.  "Ye test my patience with yer botches.  Ye cost me too much time.  And ye cost me money, more 'en what yer worth.  And if you think for one momen' that I'll let ye skate off, yer denser than th' clown and his hussy."  He points at the two goons that talked with his umbrella.  "Ye two, come 'ere."

The two talkers step forward, a pair of twin brothers doing time for arson.  The younger of the two speaks up, garbed in a pair of tattered regulation inmate pants along with a hooded sweatshirt.  "Y... yes, sir?"

Oswald immediately responds by pulling a tiny trigger on his umbrella, firing a bullet from it's tip, the round piercing the younger's right kneecap and causing him to crumple to the floor.  Hearing the younger gasp and whimper from his wound, he takes another puff of his cigar, before blowing smoke into the younger's face.  "I ain't gonna put up with excuses, especially not from the 'ired 'elp."  His attention turns towards the elder.  "Dump 'im in the pit."

"But... he's my brother."

"I DON' CARE!  Either ye dump 'im in, or ye both go!"  He sits back down as he sees the older of the twins pick up his brother.  "An' make it quick.  I'll have ye back out there goin' after the clown again."

It's at this moment that another goon enters the room, out of breath from running.  "Mr. Cobblepot! *pant pant*  Mr. Cobblepot."

"Wot it is?"

"We have an intruder."

"Eh?"  Oswald gets back to his feet.  "Who is it?  The Bat?  The Bird?  Or is it the Kitty?"

"I.. It's none of them.  In fact... It's someone we've never seen before."

"Bollocks."  Oswald pauses a moment.  "And jes' who's watching the bother?"

"Um...  No one?"  Sweating bullets, the tired guard runs back to his post, so as to avoid getting shot himself.

"Roight."  Getting to his feet, he slightly massages his right hand, broken by Bruce Wayne earlier that night.  [i]I still owe that pompous ass a right beating.[/i]  His umbrella tucked underneath his arm, he begins to make his way towards one of the many security centers.

The figure walked in, arms crossed. Armor was black, with navy blue, "ribbed" armor around the body, full plate on the torso. It looked like light armor, weaker than what the Bat wore, but more nimble, allowing more freedom of movement. A light blue circle was on the center of the chest, though it did not show anything. For headgear, the person had a black helmet with similar pure blue marks and eyepieces, a rebreather on the front. There was a wakizashi across the back, the arms seeming slightly bulging, as if concealing something.

Overall, however, the identity was unknown, the person very calm as he or she walked in through the door, a grunt heard as someone dropped for some reason outside. The voice was genderless, but could be construed as male. "Oswald Cobblepot."

[i]"Well, well...  Looks like we do 'ave someone new."[/i]  Cobblepot's voice blares out from the many speakers situated over the area.  A few cameras whir to life as they focus on the newcomer.  [i]"Wot do ye want?"[/i]

"Not much," this stranger said, slightly tense but not seeming about to attack. "Only to say that you might want to keep an eye on your TITAN. I hear the Scarecrow is back, and he's wanting to alter his toxin. Killing the Scarecrow might not be an option, considering the state of most who fight him, but he's probably going to destroy or steal it so you're less of a factor."

[i]"Scarecrow, eh?"[/i]  Cobblepot's laughter rings out through the speakers.  [i]"Didn' ye hear?  The straw man's been Croc bait now for over a year.  'Less ye have any proof of yer claim, I'd sugges' you toss off."[/i]

"You're seriously going to risk it?" he asked. "I know you're not going to lie around acting like he's not out there. What about your TITAN? If you lose that, you'll lose some credibility. What if Dent got a hold of it? Someone else?"

[i]"Dent?  The 'alf-wit wouldn't touch it.  'N the only other problem is the damn clown, and he's due to kick off any day now."[/i]  Cobblepot prepares to rant once more, but a sound comes over the speakers.  [i]"Wot the bloody hell?"[/i]

Over the speakers comes a loud scream, and a man screaming about getting rid of the spiders over his body.

The strange man did not even move. "I do know you're big enough to take him. Still, a problem remains. Those voices you hear now? That's not faked. And I doubt there's actual spiders. Do you believe me now?"

Cobblepot growls before turning once again to the newcomer.  "Wot do ye want, then?  Doubt yer doin' this out of th' kindness of ye heart."

The man shrugged, crossing his arms. "Nothing much. Some people actually do have kindness, or at least are interested in fair play, what with Joker having some of his own. They call me the Wraith. Thought I'd let you know."