Beautiful Anti-Hero

Curiosity killed the Cat

Bruce waited for Felicia outside the Gotham Opera house. He shifted his foot around uncomfortably and wondered if she would ever show up. Alfred (his butler and a true friend to the Wayne family) stepped out of the car.

"She still not here yet Master Bruce?" Alfred asked trotting up the Opera House steps to reach his master.

"Not yet Alfred." A frown crossed Bruce's face as he looked up and down the street for the blonde beauty. He wondered why she was so late. The show was starting in five minutes.

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Black Cat laughed as a criminal ambushed her. She kicked him in the face and then checked her watch. "Oh crap." She rushed straight to the Opera House. No time to change at home. Landing on a rooftop next to the Opera house she glanced down to see a disappointed Bruce. She quickly changed into a patterned blue and white dress and made sure she removed her choker, mask and wig.

"BRUCE." She waved when she finally arrived.

"Felicia." He held out his hand to greet her and noticed that she was out of breath.

"I am so sorry." She panted. "Traffic was so bad. Shall we go in?"

Bruce smiled. "We better otherwise the curtains will be closed." They both laughed although Felicia still felt guilty. Bruce did not say much and she knew that he had been kept waiting. However when they finally got to their box seats, they joyfully spoke about how close the stage was and whether they wanted to go out after.

"What do you think of Mr Riley selling his park?" Bruce asked.

Felicia rolled her eyes. "Not good. It's such a shame and I don't fully trust the woman he is selling it to. I bet her and her partner are taking advantage." She took out a bottle of water and drank nearly half the bottle.

"Thirsty?" Bruce inquired.

"Very." Felicia said settling it back down. "You know I have not had a drink in hours. Bad for me I know." She turned her attention to the noisy people who were having arguments about seats. The show was starting and people were still up and about.

"SHUT IT." Someone shouted behind Felicia making her jump. She turned around to see a yob in clean clothes with a rude expression look at her. "What are you looking at?" He barked making her wince and turn around angry.

"Ignore him." Bruce told her. She nodded still hearing insults from the man.

Felicia nodded. "What play is this?"

"A midsummer night's dream." Bruce confirmed.

The lights dimmed and the curtains came up to show a female jester in a red and black costume patterned with diamonds laughing. In the corner of the stage sat a number of actors and costume/prop designers tied up in a row.

"Ladies and gentlemen welcome to my little...theatre of horrors?" She waited with a smile on her face to get no laughs. "Yeah I thought that was one was a stinker." She grinned. People were starting to look worried and glance at the exits. "No no folks. Nobody is getting out. Let me introduce myself. Harley Quinn. You may remember me being the Joker's girlfriend and all. Aww my puddin could not be here tonight so you get yours truly." She waved her arms out madly and her eyes looked insane.

"This is ridiculous. OY BITCH GET OFF THE STAGE." The nasty man behind Felicia yelled.

Harley smiled and somersaulted over to the man landing on the box. She took out her gun and BANG. Landing back on the theatre stage she heard people scream.

"Anyone else want to be a comedian?" She laughed. She did not notice Bruce or Felicia as her one-track mind just told her to shoot the lout. After all, he was spoiling her fun.

Nobody heard her as there was a mad bustle to get it. However Harley had made sure that her henchmen were sitting right next to the exits to block the way. Each one was holding a gun and barking at people to get back in their seats.

"Bruce?" Felicia looked around but could not see him. How did he get away? The coward. Felicia clenched her fists and shook as Harley started on the tied-up actors.

"Quite a show here." She laughed.

"It has not ended yet." Batman growled from behind her. He whipped the gun out of her hand and grabbed her jester hat.

"Oh B-Man you never refuse to make me laugh." Harley said shaking her head making her hat slip off sideways revealing her blonde hair. Felicia did not pay attention as she ran and hid behind the stage curtain at the side. She started to unpack her bag and get changed.

Harley straightened her jester hat on again and jumped on Batman's shoulders beating at his head with her fist. "Stupid stupid stupid." She said as Batman yelped in pain. "Trying to upstage me huh? Making a fool out of me?"

"Oh he does not need to do that." Black Cat jumped out and delivered a kick to the mad woman's face. "You are not bad at showing people that yourself?"

"Well well." Harley grinned getting up. "Got a new sidekick huh Batman?"

Batman looked shocked at Black Cat's arrival and growled at her. "What are you doing here?" He spat.

"I better let you two lovebirds be alone." Harley winked pointing her gun and the ceiling and shot allowing bits of debris to rain down on the audience.

"Get the henchman. I will deal with Harley." Batman told her. Black Cat dodged the henchman's bullets and kicked the gun out of their hands.

"GO GO GO." She yelled at the people who made no trouble and rushed out. Black Cat nearly got taken with them in all the scuffle. She watched as Batman fought Harley.

"You been working out B-Man?" Harley grinned as Batman got her in a headlock. She gracefully kicked him in the shins making him let go. Black Cat cart-wheeled onto the stage and faced Harley.

"This is the theatre. I think the circus is that way." Black Cat pointed to the exit.

"HA HA you're funny." Harley laughed. "You know you look kinda familiar. Have I seen you before?"

Black Cat nodded. "I don't think so." She mumbled.

"Hmmm..." Harley stepped in front of her. "Let's see." She taunted grabbing her mask and making it snap back in Black Cat's face. The mask was halfway down and Felicia turned around desperately whilst Harley chuckled. "No need to be shy darling." She started to approach her.

"I'm not. Darling." Black Cat (with her mask fitted back on) grabbed Harley's arms and forced her to the ground. "Let's see who you are instead."

"NO." Harley grabbed her hammer and whacked it at Black Cat who tried her best to dodge. The opera house was now empty apart from the actors on stage. Batman ran over and wrestled the hammer away from Harley. She shrugged shooting one of the actors in the leg and ran.

"Later folks." She laughed as she climbed up one of the curtain's ropes and opened up a vent on the roof.

Batman untied the people on stage and turned around angrily at Black Cat who crossed her arms. Once everyone was safe, Batman took Black Cat outside and walked with her.

"I told you I don't need any help." He snarled. "This is not a game you know."

"Thanks Black Cat. No? Ungrateful idiot. At least my last partner showed gratitude. You? You can tell nobody likes putting up with you."

Batman grabbed her. "Innocent lives were lost tonight."

Black Cat did not care for the man who was sitting behind her and Bruce. Bruce? Where was he? She put on a worried face and Batman sighed.

"I am leaving you now. Do not let me catch you again."

Black Cat scoffed. "Innocent lives? Like that rude man sitting behind me." She gasped when she realised what she had said. Batman stopped and looked at her softly.

"Felicia?"

Black Cat took off her mask to reveal herself. "You know me?" She said curiously.

Batman backed up with a look of horror. "No it can't be you. It can't be."

"Yep it's me" Felicia threw her wig and mask to the ground. She stared at Batman who took out his grapple and fired it. It attached to another rooftop and allowed him to glide upwards.

"Hey." Felicia put back on her mask and wig to follow him. Once out of sight, a grinning jester looked on from another rooftop before erupting into fits of evil laughter.