Batman: Arkham Asylum (Pre-Edit)

Chapter 12 - Return to the Batcave

Advancing into Arkham's old sewers, Batman bumped into a couple more goons. Battering them all, Batman continued his journey to the Batcave. Another rumble of Ivy's plants almost sent Batman down an abyss. Climbing up a ledge, Batman pressed on to the Caves. Batman halted at a wall and announced clearly: "Scan and open." A bright white light ran down Batman's body, and allowed him to get under way with the antidote.In his seat, Batman typed into his computer, manufacturing the cure, as well as having a conversation with Oracle. "How close are you to making the cure?" she asked. "Close. It's been more difficult than I'd expected." The Batcomputer displayed the progress of the antidote. 87% after an hour. "The process is slow," he continued. "Difficult, and doesn't produce much antidote.""And the good news?""The chemical will definitely stop Ivy. It may also reverse the Titan transformation. I need to run some more tests to be sure. I've set the computer to create more, but I need to get out of here and find Ivy.""Thank God, her plants have reached the Gotham River." A piece of ragged stone fell on Batman's head, causing him to collapse, but not to lose consciousness. He looked up, and saw the rock ceiling giving way. Vines began crawling through the walls, and twisting themselves around Batman's equipment and transport. "BATMAN!" yelled Oracle. "Bruce, are you alright?"Batman was thrown from the Main Platform, and was desperately hanging above a bottomless pit. A vine had crushed the Batcomputer, retrogressing the cure. "I'm fine." he replied as he climbed up again. Approaching his workbench, Batman constructed a new gadget by hand. He had drawn some diagrams, but had never tested it before. He called it the Ultra Batclaw. It replaced the Batclaw with a stronger version of the gadget. The Ultra Batclaw has three claws at the end of the gun, which can be used to take down weak walls, ventilation covers and even henchmen.

Pulling out a section of the Batcave wall, Batman continued to find himself standing on the edge of a cliff. Inspecting the landscape, Batman's eyes lay across many tall stone pillars and minor mountains sticking up from the ocean. Gliding over to them, Batman knew if he made a mistake, everything would be over, as his suit was not built for water. Landing on one small mountain-like-pillar, the top was shaped like a staircase, but with only two levels. Batman then used his Line-Launcher to enter a cave on another rock face. Eventually finding his way back onto Arkham Island, he immediately headed for the surface. Batman only made it to the Old Sewers before 3 orbs from a pod threw themselves at Batman's suit, causing a searing pain to surge through his body. Destroying the orb, Oracle chimed in, completely unaware of Batman's minor injury. "Batman," she says. "I've been running a simulation on the damage Ivy's plants will do if they reach Gotham.""They won't get that far." said Batman. "I AM going to stop them and Ivy." "I hope you're right. I'm here if you need me."Coming across many more pods, Batman didn't get hit again. As Batman walked through a door into the Main Sewer Junction, which he crossed earlier, he was shocked. The crystal clear water that normally flowed through the pipes and drains was now fluorescent-Titan green. "Oracle," choked Batman. "We've got another problem.""What now?" said a frustrated Oracle. "Two-Face? Riddler? Some kind of giant Joker robot?""Unfortunately nothing that simple. I'm at the Main Sewer Junction and the water seems to be polluted with Titan. Why? What's he doing now?""I'll look into it."Climbing a similar route as he did earlier, Batman reached a wild flow of the water. The green leaked over the edges, and the junction was jammed with plants, vines and pods. "The Titan water seems to be corrosive," informed Batman. "but it shouldn't trouble the suit. What have you found out?""I'm not sure you're ready for this." she said. "No, but go ahead.""Joker's pumping all the waste products from the Titan process into that chamber. It acts as a kind of natural storage tank. Once it's full, it releases all the water into the Gotham River. Normally, it's safe, but...""But this time it's full of Titan. How do I stop it?""I'm working on it."Batman, unable to pass through a door to the surface, which was covered by vines, had to take an alternate route up to the pump rooms. As Batman climbed, he listened to Oracle's information. "According to the plants I have on file, I've got three control rooms. The first is directly above you.""I'll shut them down.""What will happen if this Titan stuff reaches Gotham?""It won't reach Gotham."Batman pulled down a wall with his Ultra Batclaw. And it tumbled down onto a brick floor. Three henchmen came to the hole in the wall and began to tease Batman. The next thing they knew, there was a metal claw clamped to them, and they were falling onto a hard surface. Batman grappled up, and entered the Pump Control Room. Another henchmen charged towards him, only followed by a punch in the face.

Navigating his way around the Pump Facility, he finally reached the Pump Room. Several henchmen armed consoles in which Batman could hack to halt the progress of the pumps. Battering them all like fish and chips, Batman had to hack two non-booby trapped consoles, and then let Oracle know of his progress. "Oracle, that's the second one shut down.""Only one more to go!"The Pump control junction was a round room with small garage-like openings on the sides. They were all locked and reinforced. "You do not listen to me!" yelled Joker. "I said stop if there was an introo! Do it or I'll... I'll... I'll hurt you badly."Batman made it to the control room, only to find several armed Blackgate prisoners guarding the console, and others roaming the chamber, Batman found an appropriate hiding place to take them all down one by one. Performing several different takedowns, as well as taking 3 down with one batch of Explosive Gel, Batman finished them all off and headed off to find the console. However, this was another booby-trapped console, unlike the other two. Cutting it close, Batman heard a loud shutting-down noise, indicating the pumps had stopped, and Titan would never reach Gotham River. "That's pump 3 disabled," said Batman. "I'm going to head back up to the surface and hunt down Ivy.""I'll be in touch if you need anything."Navigating his way back to the pump control junction, security gates activates, and was trapped in a rather claustrophobic round room. The announcement speakers ding-donged on again."I know you're down there, Bats!" yelled Joker in rage. "Ruining my plans! Well stay where you are! I'm sending down a token of my displeasure. Oh, Gosh! I hope it doesn't hurt you too badly!" Dust floated down above Batman's head, and more rumbles almost knocked Batman off his feet. It wasn't the plants. A mutated hand burst through one of the metal garage doors, followed by the Titan thug ripping it off all together. As he fought the monster, henchmen flooded in, making the floor invisible with all their bodies. Batman had a tactic. After he threw a Batarang at a charging Titan-henchman, and after he beat him down to his knees, Batman climbed onto the monsters back. The Thing began to swing, knocking many henchmen to the ground. After a while, the monster had had enough and threw Batman off. Continuing this tactic, the rate of thugs was decreased, and Batman finished of the fight with a backflip to the monster's head, and brought down a hammer-punch.No comment from Joker. As an escape artist, Batman found a way out of the chamber with his Ultra-Batclaw and pulled down a couple of walls to get up to the surface. He sprayed Explosive Gel on an elevator clamp. This caused the small box to fall to the ground, and trap all henchmen down there for a long time.

Batman came out at Arkham East, where Ivy's plants had turned the atmosphere into an eerie purple glow. "Ivy's getting stronger," said Batman. "I need to stop her now!""I think she's still in the Gardens where you left her, but she'll be in control of it now. You'll be walking into a trap.""That's what she thinks."