Gotham City


Jean Paul Valley walks a long trek towards the city of goth and glass. He sees the gigantic signal in the air, a signal that once called for him. However those days are past Jean Paul's time as Batman are over for good. He thinks will I be needed here?

Just then a truck pulled to the side of the road, an elderly man asks "Hey buddy, you headed toward Gotham?"

Jean Paul says, "Yes, sir."

"Well in I'd hate to see you hike all that way on foot"

"I certainly appreciate this. My name is Jean Paul Valley."

"Well, Jean Paul welcome to Gotham City"


Jean Paul throws his back pack into the bed of the truck, and proceeds to enter the vehcile. The warmth of the heater feels good to tired bones and the kindess of this stranger softens his hard feelings about he city for a moment.

<Does Gotham need Azrael,> Jean Paul thinks to himself. The glowing Bat-signal is his only answer.

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The bat-signal shown brightly in the sky, like a second moon. Cass saw it, but it wasn't for her. It was for Batman, her mentor, so she ignored it like always. She fired a jumpline. She swung across the line with ease allowing her to make it to the next rooftop. She was on the prowl for trouble.
She was moving quickly across the city. She listened to the com in her cowl, trying to see if Oracle had anything. Nothing was happening so she figured Oracle was busy with Batman. She finally perched on top of a rooftop when she saw a group of gang bangers in crimson loading a large moving truck.

The driver had not yet identified himself to Jean Paul Valley, but some how he thought he might know him, if the situation was different.

<Maybe just another faceless victim of the No Man's Land disater,> Jean Paul thought<, possibily I helped during that crisis.>

The truck barreled on into the darkness of the city, the bat-signal still high up in the cloud sky. Silence was the only echo in the cab of the truck, an eerie silence.

"What do you think about that, Mistah Valley," said the driver.

"About what?" said Jean Paul.

" That crazy spot light up there, you know the Bat-Signal."

" The real question you're asking sir would be, what do I think about Batman?"

"Yeah, I guess,"

Jean Paul's voice toughened," There's no way a guy like that could exist."

"Well," said the driver," I'd have to say you're wrong about that."

A sense of pride over came the elderly gentlemen. His face brighten at te hcahnce to educate a young man like Jean Paul.

"I've Batman a few times in Gotham. He looks like one tough son of a gun. But I've meet him twice, just after he went nuts and killed the maniac Abatoir, not that he didn't deserve, the sick freak. I was working the late shift at Gotham Hospital, secrurity, when this guy come in loaded to the hilt with ammo, a real Charlton Heston. After Batman took him down, I says to him 'Hey, Pointy Ears, nice work and thanks,' he just looked at through that helmet and said, 'It's my quest,' kinda freaky but anyway."

A chill ran down Jean Paul's spine, now he reconized him. He'd aged alot but it wa the secrurity guard on duty during Gunhawk's siege.

" Wow,"said Jean Paul, "you actually saw him. What about the other time?"

"It was during No Man's Land, when Bats actually came out during the day. He liberated a territory of one of those whackos from Arkam. He didn't do it alone, he had a guy in a silver and red costume, called him self and angel. Funny thing is that guy seemed more like the first time I meet Batman."

Jean Paul again stared at the glowing signal, was coming back the right choice? Where could he go? How will his estranged "family" feel about his sudden reappearence.


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Crime Alley in Gotham City


The pickup pulled into the first block of the notorious section of Gotham. Jean Paul's friend askes," Are you sure this is where you want to go?"

"Yes," said Jean Paul cooly.

"Alright, your gonna need it Mistah Valley."

Jean Paul removed his pack back from the bed of the pick up and bid the driver good bye. He walks into a dark alley, and begin to change in to his new costume. The crimson and gold kevlar, was heavy on his on his body. THe gauntlets contained blades again, along with a new grapnel system. Jean Paul pulls the mask over his face, and he felt the System click in. "Lets see how rusty I am," no longer as Jean Paul, but as Azrael.

Azrael climbs up a nearly broken fire escape, and get to the roof. HE begins running hoping roof tops, insepcting the diseased area of the city. It seem to quiet. He makes it to a corner, where he stops a large van, surrounded by by thugs in scarlet.

<Its now or never, here goes,>he thinks as he dives into the situation.

looking on bloodless see's a guy in a crimsony slivery type outfit jump head on into a band of thugs and thinks...

:is every clown in a suit in this town looking for a fight all of the time:

Landing on the truck, a thud is heard. The thugs in red all look up.

Their apparent leader speaks up, "What was that?"

Another chimes in, "Let's hope it's not the Bat," he said laughingly.

Azrael, unsheathes his blades, the fire erupts from the blade, in its usual stunning awe. " Here goes," he says.

"What the Hell," screamed the leader.

"Exactly," says Azrael, as he dives kicking a thug in the chest ", I’ll give you one chance to surrender..."

Azrael is pistol whipped from behind, "He's just another Batman wannabe, get him."

The crowd begins to surround him. "I warned you," he says

as bloodless looks on he is a bit taken back by the blade which came out of the dude and the fire that seemed to be erupting from these blades....he looks on to see what this guy would do but then he see's him get pistol wiped and thinks

:what a clown all that flash and he can't even take out these fool's..maybe i should help him out..:

as he moves off from the top of the building jumping onto a closer one to see the action and get a better look he see's him turn...

As the gang surrounds him, Azrael, feels the System click in. <First I have to take out the gun,> he thinks.

Sensing the thug postion, a swift spinning heel kick, disarms the foe. He punches the thug for good measure, sending into the panel side of the moving truck, slightly denting it. Antoher one grabs him from behind, and with snapmare like throw, he is dispatched.

Suddenly a new threat is seen out of the corner of his eye, a machine gun. Swiftly ducking for cover, the bullets tear through his new cape. <You'd think I'd seen that coming,> He thinks, < and you'd laso think that machine gun fire would attract some cops.>

The bullets whiz by as Azrael plans his next move...

as he see's this he wonders what will the stranger in the suit do to stop a mechine gun...still not sure wither he should help he waits to see if the guy can handle himself without any help...besides the guy did sorta of came looking for this fight...

Cass had followed the truck, all the way to crime alley. She was about to pounce when she heard noises. She went to investigate and found Azrael fighting. She watched him, not ready to attack. She remembered what had happened with Spoiler and she guessed she was waiting to make sure that Azrael was still a fighter. She was also watching the other man, the unknown character watching Azrael.
Cass studied the entire scene, waiting for the right time to attack. She made no sound, no motion. Batgirl had become used to spending hours standing silently, watching.

Waiting, Azrael listens, he hears click,click, the gun has jammed, He takes the opportunity, leaping over the truck, and landing with his heels on the thugs neck, taking out the machine gun.

In sense of fear and awe the thugs start to scatter, but suddenly, three larger members of this "gang" step from the shadows, These men are dress all in crismon in a similar armor of Azrael's, no capes only a cross like symbol on their chest. Blades protrude, from the gaunlet forearms no flames just, four foot blades on each arm. But that is not the only thing, that is not the only frightening thing, horns protrude from their forehead, and their eyes were narrowed, with a pointed goatee on each of their faces.

Standing in amazment, Azrael says, "Here's the challegenge."

Charging he attacks the "man" in the middle. His blade makes contact but is defelected by the foes. He swings again, connecting with the body, but the armor takes most of the blow. The foe grabs Azrael by the throat, "this most be teh guy the boss was telling us about"he says...

as bloodless looks on he see's what seems to be 3 demon like figures come out of the darkness as he looks on he notices that they look to be dressed the same as the one b4 and think that this might be some sort of "gang" act that he has heard much about since his departure from his old home and his trip to gotham...he stoped an thought if the batman would appear to stop this incident that is going down

Being trottled by the "demon," Azrael, fights to get free of the grip. Unseathing his blades, with all his force he places two hammer fists to the sides of the "demon's" head.

Choking and sputring, Azrael, again attacks but this time they all pounce on the Angel of Venegance. "There's no need to kill him," said the "demons" leader, "the boss will want him alive, but that doesn't mean me he can get off scott free for interupting our heist."

They begin to kick and pund on him mercilessly. Azrael begins to feel the System take over, his muscles tighten, and the rage begins. Suddenly in an explosive fit of energy, he powers out of the beating, throwing the "demons" a small ways back. He stares with new fire in his eyes the System is in place, "My turn," says the Angel of Vengance.

A batarang quickly flipped into her hand. She moved at amazing speeds as she flung the batarang down at the "demons." She didn't know if the strang man who was watching was a part of this group or not, but she'd figure it out later. Batgirl quickly fired a jumpline and descended upon the "demons." In a blur of movement, Cass hits one of the "demons" directly in the jaw. She heard a crack and felt his jaw break under the force of her punch. She threw a quick look at Azrael to make sure he was capable of taking care of the others.

as bloodless looks on he is amazed at how the stranger was able to fight his way out of the problem with what seemed to be three demons he tought hmm maybe he won't need my help..

as he see's a female batman jump into the fight he gets sort of confused he stops and see one of the demon's try to attack her from behind ...without much tought u jumped off the building and landed a kick to the back of the demon's head....as he fell to the floor bloodless rebounded to make sure that the people around him were safe and that he was in a safe place...

Now at full power, Azrael, He musters all his strenght, into a blow that could have almost shattered or atleast dented it. He grabs the "demon" by the costume, and presses him, up over his head, he throws the "demon" into the truck.

He picks the "demon" up by his neck. "Who do you work for,"Azrael says.

"St. Dumas," He said laughingly.

The body starts to shake uncontrolbly, blood runs from the yellowed eyes. The death rattle shakes. Azrael looks around relizing the same fate, of the other two "demons" is the same as his.

He looks at Batgirl, "Umm.. Hi, Batgirl," he says now as Jean Paul with is mask still on.

He turns and sees a figure in all black, with white hair. His eyes were haunting, and strange red and yellow. The trench coat and white hair maybe him look like some sort of ghost. Jean Paul says to Batgirl, "I see you're hanging with a new crowd."

Turning to the figure, " Now, who the hell are you, Bat-Boy, or Sisqo."

he looks on and sort of drops his gaurd...

"what's a sisqo?...and i am no batboy my names ky... bloodless yeah they call me bloodless and um who r u and what was going on here.. sorry to interrupt ur fight but it seemed like the female batman was in the need of some help"

Batgirl gave Azrael a strange look with his question. It took her a few seconds to realize he was talking about the stranger that had been watching him. She turned to listen to the man explain who he was. Cass didn't recognize the name and realized she would have to have Oracle look up more information on him. She looked over at Azrael, she knew he was no longer in contact with Oracle since Babs thought he was dead. She wondered if she should say anything to Babs about this entire adventure then decided to wait until after she could talk to Azrael. For the moment she decided to just listen, follow, and learn. She could be an asset to Azreal weither he liked her there or not.

"Step into the ligh, kid," says Jean Paul, "Bloodless, huh, and I thought having my name was creepy any way thanks for helping Bat Girl though with enough time, believe she could have handled herself."

Police sirens wail in the coming distance, causing Jean Paul to flinch alittle. "I guess we better get out of here, three dead "demons" will get not only the cops attention, but another on our friends."

Jean Paul, fires a grappnel into the sky, it clips into a near building. He pulls and takes off towards the roof tops, beckoning his youthful squires to come with him.

<Batman is not going to be happy,> Jean Paul thinks, <I've been in Gotham one hour and he already has three murder cases. The "demon" I thought said he worked for St. Dumas, he had the clothes, but the Order has mutilated its followers into a demon entinty. Then again if their theology could come up with things like me, then I guess they could do anything.>

Mulling over this pont, Jean Paul stands on the roof top waitign to see if his wlecoming commitee will follow him.

bloodless looks around and think's now therre is a batgirl and some dude in a crimson gold suit..what is wrong with this place y is everyone dressed like circus attractions and what has he gotten himself into...he stoped and thought maybe they can lead me to batman and he thought maybe he can settle the problem that he had with batman and superboy but this time in a peacful wayy...

bloodless jump on top of the truck and leaped up the side of the building and climbed up a pole almost slipping...he thinks i may need more practice if i'm gonna be hanging with these guy's..

Azrael sees Bloodless slip, and is glad he made it up to the roof top.

He calls to Batgirl," Get up her the GCPD haven't been my best aquitances in hte last fews years."

He turns and sees a look of confusion on the young man face. He realizes that he must explain in part whats going on with what little he knows.

"He's some kind of rapper with white or silver hair," Azrael says," that's who Sisqo is... any way, I guess you're wondering who I am and what going on. I'm called Azrael and I'm sort of used to the craziness in Gotham, hence my costume. As far as what's going on, let's wait for Batgirl, I think she may be able to get some one to help us with that."

"Or," A monotone cuts through as a figure shrouded in the shadows steps out. "I could."
Batman steps into the pool of dim light.
"The demons, working for St. Dumas... Can no one stay dead?"

bloodless hears the voice and it sounds very familiar..as he look's towards the shawdow he is surprised and yet a bit happy to see batman step out

"umm..batman...right...umm yea i yust met them and what yust happened has nothing to do with me...ohh and how is that superboy kid"

he say's while passing his hand tru his hair

"ohh.. and that sisqo sound like a tool"

Cass just watched Batman. She didn't say anything, which was usual. She did tuck away these memories for Babs later. Babs would be dying to know how Batman took the return of Azrael, especially after his recent string of changes in the Bat Family line up. Cass, herself, had faced having her mantle taken from her, twice now and each time she's proven that she's more than worthy of being Batgirl. She will not let him take this away from her every again.
Cass wondered silently if she was even needed anymore, but chose not to say anything. Batman would decide if she should stay or go, then she would make her decision on weither to obey him or to ignore him.

"Batman," states Jean Paul awckwardly,"St. Dumas has been dead for over 800 years, but some one is using his influence for these guys. But the only "demons" that were ever made, were the demon Biis, so the Order could have enemies. But Biss is more of a gray 'demon' , as Charlton Lehah has often worn the garb. These guys look like some Nichlas Scarcth's old cronies from No Man's Land. We need to get in touch with the Oracle to she if Lehah is still around after, my little disappearing act...."

Jean Paul looks at Batman, his cutting glance makes Jean Paul, shudder on the inside, <How is Batman going to react tome being back in Gotham?>

bloodless looks on, listening to what az is saying...

"so is this like a big problem...and like r they aginst something in perticluar...."

Ignoring Bloodless's first questions, Batman turned from Azrael.
"Believe me, Azrael. After listening to Falcon's stories of some of the YJ's more recent adventures, you'd be surprised at how many demons there really are, but that's beside the point, if someone is using Dumas's influence well enough to control whatever these things are we could have a problem.
They may just be chasing you, but you're back in Gotham and that's putting my city at risk."

"Were you watching me the whole time?," Jean Paul asks,"The last time I faced of with Nicholas Scarcth he was trying to use the Order of St. Dumas as some kind of New Age Chruch, and using my costume, my identity to make himself some kind of messiah. But he's not going to try something like this alone. The Demon Biis, Charlton Lehah is where to start. Could you get Oracle to get a line him, the last I heard he was in prison for my 'murder.' Has he escaped from Blackgate?"

Jean Paul turns to see Bloodless, getting annoyed by being ignored, "Batman this is...Bloodless, he helped me and Batgirl...Batgirl? Where is she?"

Batman looked at bloodless, letting their eyes meet for a moment.
"We've met."
He looked up again.
"As far as I know, Scratch is still in Blackgate. Perhaps we should pay him a visit."

Else Where in Gotham City

Charlton Lehah is preparing for something, Lehah as been out of Blackgate for weeks, someone had made a replacement for him.

A mysterious feminine voice come through the silence,"Demon Biis, your venegence is unquenched, the betrayer Azrael lives."
Lehah turns around, "What does the New Order wish of your enemy the Demon Biis."

"The Angel of Vengenace threatens to ruin all or plans your's, mine, and the Order's", the voice says, " Take some of the loyal Azraels to dipose of the Betrayer his helpers."
A gruff hidden voice that sounds as old as the Order breaks the conversation, "The Angel and his followers will be at Blackgate within the hour, susipiotion has been aroused."

The feminine voice speaks, "Then we must accelerate our plans, remove our last brethren from the confinds of the prison, and kill Azrael at the same time, after this you wil lhave you payment and be free of the curse you owe the Order, you Charlton Lehah will gain absolution for you crimes, and be able to rejoin our flock which will soon engulf the world."
"As you wish," says Lehah, "St. Dumas will be done."

Lehah points and five similar "demons" step forward behind him. "Are they ready?"

"Yes," says the gruff voice,"and more powerful than the first batch you should have no trouble dispoing of the hieartic and his followers, then one of The one that kills him will be the new Azrael."

Crime Alley with Az., Bats., Blood., and a hiding Bat Babe

"Perhaps we should pay him a visit,"say Jean Paul,"so how'd did you to meet, Bloodless, and Batman, I hate to ask this but who is Falcon?"

Jean Paul surveys the are looking for Batgirl hoping to see her, but given her skills he doesn't have chance. <I hope I didn't scare here off,> he thinks.

"well we hand a run in...i was a bit confused and looking for something that i have yet to find an answer too, but i hope that won't stop me from being able to help in any way i can..." say's the kid

"by the way is this like a cult type thing?" he say's to az

"Yes it's a cult, I'll explain my connection later kid, biut right now we have to get to Blackgate." Says Jean Paul

"k...so i guess i'll tag along cuz umm...u might need me..." bloodless say's with an almost uncertain tone

'I think we will as long as you tell me your history with Mr. Smiley over there," Says Jean Paul

he looks over at batman and then at az..."well i'll tell u on the way i don't think we have much time to spare..."

Cass stepped out of the shadows, listening to the others. She looked at Batman, questioning. "What do we do?" she was asking them all, but it appeared as if she was asking Batman alone. She still admired him and part of her hated herself for it.
Without warning, Cass heard Oracle in her ear. Oracle asked about Azrael and what Cass was actually up to. Cass could tell that Oracle wanted her to check on Azrael, so that Batman wouldn't discover. Cass suddenly felt weary. "Oracle, it's OK. He knows," was all she told Babs. She leaned back, waiting for the others to decide a course of action. She wasn't exactly a follower, but this was way above her head at the moment.

"Batgirl you have a com-link to Oracle don't you,"says Jean Paul, I'm going to need that for a second."

"Batman we're going to need a way, to get to Blackgate is there a way you can arrange that."

<<Okay... for some reason, I have had a few problems posting today. If THIS gets through... I'll be friggin' ecstatic tonight.>>

Johnny pored over the large map of the United States. The crystal on a string swung back and forth, like a metal detector looking for buried treasure.

The rain was smacking against the windows of his Grams' old house, and the fog horn from out in the bay could be heard softly in the distance. He sighed.

For the longest time, he'd been hesitant about using magic. His active powers had been bound for years, and he knew his training had been far from complete when his active powers had surfaced. But some recent good advice had changed all that, by suggesting that it didn't matter if magic didn't solve EVERY problem in the universe. It only mattered, that people do the best they can, with the gifts they're born with. It made sense to the young mage.

So now, in addition to meditations, Poe also devoted time to the art of scrying. Scrying, was a kind of supernatural Lojack. The concept behind it is simple. Get a crystal that is sensitive to whatever the person is looking for... like for example, supernatural or unusually powerful negative metahuman activity, and move it around an ordinary map. Energy lines around the selected area being what they are, the pull of the energy would attract the crystal like a magnet to the appropriate spot on the map when a particularly intense concentration of energy manifested itself.

Scrying often took awhile, and not from lack of experience. Scrying, was an early-stage magical skill he'd learned at the age of 5, being something that never involved using an active power. The problem simply was, the remarkably strong energy fields around the Earth, and in particular, in the United States. It was like trying to look for a gold doubloon, buried in a haystack also filled with needles. It was easier, scrying in a specific city. But searching the entire continent, was a longer task. And ultimately though, a more rewarding one. Because this way, he could weed out most of the average blips, and focus on the big ones that would occasionally pull the crystal down to the map.

As it stood now, he was tied between two rather very large blips. One in the Atlantic Ocean, which he knew was the approximate location of Atlantis... and the other was on the East Coast of the continent.

The crystal dropped to the map again, with a thunk. "Gotham City," Johnny read. The pull was highly intense, and had been getting stronger each time he'd passed over that part of the map. This, was the third reading he'd gotten on it.

He looked up. "I wonder, if Grams actually HAS a map of Gotham City, around here...?" he mused as he got up to check. Whatever was going down, it appeared to be unusual enough for the Powers That Be, to call it to his attention.