As promised, part 7 of PI Verse is live! We're basically picking up where we left off from The New Order so if you haven't read that, you might want to.
Title: Downfall
Chapter Title: April 1st, pt. one
Fandom: Batman
Rating: T (For now. Expect the rating to go up to M in a few chapters.)
Summary: With one single act of cruelty, Hugo Strange has upended the lives of Edward Nigma and his family. Everything that Edward and Penelope have built over the past two years begins to crumble, while Ellen is left reeling with the fallout. As secrets are revealed, can Edward hold on to his reformation, or will the temptation to backslide become too much to bear?
Chapter Summary: Bruce arrives at the scene of Penelope's abduction and the first fissures in his partnership with Edward begin to form.
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Preview
"Don't you tell me to be calm!" Edward half-screamed, spittle flying from his mouth. "You knew this would happen! You knew!"
Bruce's grip tightened on Edward's jacket. "I didn't-"
"Yes, you did!" Edward interrupted. "You knew Strange was plotting against her! You knew she was in danger! I could have stopped this dead in its tracks a week ago, but I didn't, because of you! I could have brought Strange and Sharp down, but I held back because you asked me to! Because your precious fucking identity was more important to you than her life! She's gone because of you! I could have stopped this, I could have..." Edward's voice trailed off as the anger gave way to grief again. "I could have saved her," he said in a small voice.
...So, I haven’t been linking the last few chapters of this to my tumblr. Whoops.
Let’s get caught up a bit.
Previous chapters: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7
Meanwhile, Back at Gotham Academy...
"Attention, students. This is Principal Hugo Strange. Classes are now over for the day. Those students serving detention will remain on campus until 2:30 and those attending club meetings may remain until 3:00 pm. All students must be off campus by 3:30 pm or face severe consequences. That is all."
Harley took her seat at the head table in the chemistry lab and clapped her hands. "Alright! Everybody's here! Did you all bring the stuff?"
Kristen nodded in the last seat on the left. "I've got the graham crackers."
To Harley's left, Pamela put a box of chocolate bars down on the table. "I brought free-trade chocolate."
Next to Kristen, Selina put a wine bag down. "I brought the wine."
"And I've got the marshmallows and toothpicks!" Harley cheered. "Girl's Day is on!" She lightly jostled Penelope, who was sitting to her right. "And ta think, you wanted to stay in your office and work! Aren't ya glad ya came here instead?"
"We'll see," Penelope said, still looking a bit unsure. "How exactly are we going to make smores?"
"Oh, that's easy," Harley said. She reached to a bunsen burner that was set up in the middle of the table and turned it on. "Ta-da! Instant indoor campfire!" She stuck a marshmallow onto a toothpick and held it over the blue flame. "Come on, Penny! Grab a marshmallow!"
"Maybe later," Penelope said, her eyes wide at the open flame.
Pamela scoffed. "One would think with how many 'conferences' you've been to that you'd be used to these sort of shenanigans."
"Well, we've never had an open flame at the 'conferences'," Penelope muttered. "Not yet at least. Anyway," she said in a clearer tone. "What are our plans today?"
"You're looking at our plans," Selina said, pouring wine into plastic cups and passing them around the table. "Wine, smores-"
"And gossip!" Harley said. "It'll be just like a slumber party!"
Penelope and Pamela exchanged a look, then took a long sip of wine. Heavy footsteps alerted the women to the presence of another person in the room. Principal Strange had appeared in the room and was giving each and every one of them a disapproving look. "Ladies, and I do use that term lightly."
Harley gave him a cheeky wave. "Hiya, Hugie."
Strange's left eye twitched. "You know I detest nicknames, Ms. Quinzel."
Harley frowned. "Hey! That's Dr. Quinzel! I didn't go through med school just to be called 'Ms.' Quinzel!"
Strange sucked in a breath between his teeth. Escaping punishment from Superintendent al Ghul had emboldened the faculty to the point they were no longer intimidated by Strange. More was the pity. "Excuse me, 'Dr.' Quinzel." He turned his gaze to Kristen. "I am leaving for my meeting with the school board. I trust that everything will be taken care of in my absence, Ms. Kringle?"
"Yes, Principal Strange," Kristen answered while opening her box of graham crackers. "I can more than handle the administrative duties. I'm also in communication with Vice Principal Gordon regarding the trip."
"Excellent," Strange nodded. Then he turned his cold gaze to the three Sirens. "Coach Bolton is handling the students in detention. Under no circumstances are you to interfere unless at his request. In return, he will leave you to your own devices. Is that clear?"
"Crystal, Strange," Pamela said with a mocking salute. "Run along now. I'm sure the school board is waiting."
Strange's face colored, then he recovered. "Ladies. Enjoy your 'girl's day." He stomped out of the room. As soon as he was gone, Harley blew a raspberry.
"Well," Selina said. "Now that he's gone, what's on the agenda first, girls?"
A buzzing sound from Penelope's phone answered that question. Pamela rolled her eyes. "Edward?"
"Yes," Penelope answered, reading the text. "Oh my. It seems that Neil ate a rancid spanakopita and vomited on Karlo, which then caused their second fistfight of the day. Mockridge has given them fast passes so they can go on rides for the rest of the day."
Selina poured herself some more wine, then lifted her plastic cup up. "A moment of silence for the poor boys on the field trip today."
"Hear hear!" Harley agreed, raising her glass. Kristen, Pamela, and finally Penelope followed suit. She watched as the other four women lowered their glasses to take sips, then dissolved into laughter. She bit her lip.
"Selina?" she asked. "The three of you didn't cheat to stay at the school together, did you?"
Selina put a hand to her chest in mock affront. "Us? Cheat! Why we never!" Then she smirked and gestured to Kristen. "The keeper of the straws on the other hand."
Kristen laughed. "Mea culpa."
Penelope shook her head and took another sip of wine. She made a note to herself not to tell Edward about this. As insufferable as he could be when he was proven wrong about something, he was even worse when he was proven right. She looked back up from her cup to see that the other four women were looking at her, Selina, Harley, and Kristen with curiosity, Pamela with something that looked almost like pity. "What?" she asked.
"Speakin' of Eddie," Harley leaned forward. "You're up first for gossip, Penny! You and Eddie are gettin' pretty serious now, aren't ya? Do ya think you'll get married?"
Penelope felt her face flush and she took a larger gulp of wine. She almost wished she'd gone along on the trip.
Coach Bolton walked up and down the length of the detention room, looking over the three boys in his custody. Lonnie Machin, Jason Todd, and Roy Harper. Troublemakers, all of them. Spoiled little rich boys who thought the world owed them something. He'd bring them in line if it was the last thing he ever did. Finally, he walked back to the front of the room and behind his desk. "Do you three know what you need more than anything?"
Jason leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head and regarded Bolton with cold contempt. "To get out of this school?"
Bolton banged on the desk with a closed fist. "DISCIPLINE!" he yelled. None of the boys so much as flinched. "You three," Bolton continued. "You think that just because you have rich daddies, that you can do whatever you want, whenever you want."
"I'm not rich," Lonnie interrupted. "I got in this school on a scholarship. Don't lump me in with these two class traitors-"
"Get bent, Lonnie," Jason shouted. "I was born in the Narrows. I didn't choose to get adopted by a billionaire-"
Bolton banged his fist on the desk again. "SHUT UP! BOTH OF YOU!" Both boys fell silent, though they continued to glare at each other. Roy sat in a desk next to Jason with his feet propped up on the seat in front of him and a bored look on his face. "You three think you're such bigshots. Well, you're not! You're just a couple of little boys, acting like men." Bolton punched his hands together. "Well, you won't be little boys after I get through with you. When you leave my detention, you'll leave as real MEN!"
"That sounds dirty to me," Roy sassed. He looked at Jason. "Does that sound dirty to you, Jay?"
Jason snorted. "Sure does, Roy. I think we need an adult!"
"I am an adult!" Bolton shouted. "I know exactly what you two are doing," he glowered. "You won't break me! I'm not that spineless Vice-Principal Gordon!"
"Dork Squad broke you first, Coach," Jason said. "Speaking of which Roy, you smell something?"
Roy smiled, then wrinkled his nose. "I sure do Jay! Smells like a broken Port-o-Potty!"
Bolton's face flushed. "Keep yucking it up, you little brats," he seethed. "I can do this all day."
Jason and Roy exchanged a knowing smirk with each other. "'I can do this all day?' That's what Mr. Nashton said to Doc Young the other day in the teacher's lounge, isn't it Jay?" Roy asked his friend.
"That's what I heard," Jason said. "And they did it, all day. Now that's a real man, Roy."
Bolton gnashed his teeth. "Nashton's a sweater vest wearin' wimp! He's not a real man!
Jason smirked. "He's the sweater vest wearin' wimp who got the woman you wanted. If he's not a 'real man', what does that make you?"
Bolton's face went white, then he walked to the door of the classroom and stepped out, slamming the door shut behind him. As soon as he was gone, Jason and Roy laughed.
"Too easy," Jason laughed. "Did you see his face? It was like we kicked his grandma!"
"That was a low blow," Lonnie muttered. "But I'll admit, it is nice to see that sad sack of toxic masculinity be taken down a peg."
Jason smiled. "Lonnie, you might be alright. Look, Roy and I are gonna bust out of detention after we break Coach. You in?"
Lonnie rubbed his chin. "I'm in."
Before Jason could say anything else, Coach Bolton stormed back in, murder in his eyes. "Alright, you little shits," he said through grinding teeth. "You want to play hardball? We can play hardball." He placed a stack of paper and a pencil in front of each boy. "Write 'I am a failure' 500 times!"
Jason picked up his pencil. "Got it, Coach. We'll write, 'Coach is a failure' 500 times each."
"No!" Bolton shouted. You'll write 'I am a failure'!"
"Yeah, we'll write 'Coach Bolton is a Failure,' just like you asked, Coach," Roy said.
Bolton let out a frustrated scream. The three boys simply looked at each other and smirked. It wouldn't be long before they'd have Coach crying on the floor and be on their way to freedom.
Six months after Superintendent al Ghul's visit, the yearly Gotham Academy Spring Field Trip rolls around. Someone save the teachers.
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On a warm April Monday afternoon, at 2:35 on the dot, a deep, Teutonic voice rumbled through the speakers of Gotham Academy. "Attention, all members of the staff and faculty. This is Principal Hugo Strange. Report to the Teacher's Lounge after the final bell for a mandatory staff meeting. That is all." There was a brief pause before the speakers crackled to life again. "Do attempt to conduct yourselves like civilized human beings, rather than wild pigs.”
Meanwhile, in the Teacher's Lounge, the beleaguered but beloved Vice-Principal Jim Gordon was waiting for the teachers to arrive, alongside his trustworthy secretary, Kristen Kringle, who was holding in her hands a bunch of plastic straws. Gordon sighed, then took a sip of water. "Well, Kristen. It's that time of year again."
Kristen nodded. "Yes, Vice-Principal Gordon." She bit her lip. "How well do you think they'll take it?"
Gordon put his glass down and sighed again. What he'd give for some of Crane's moonshine right about now. "About as well as they usually do."
"So not well at all then," Kristen said. "Oh dear."
'Oh, dear' was right. In the six months since al Ghul's visit, the teachers, for the most part, had gone right back to their mischievous behavior. Granted, Kerr had been arrested and was now incarcerated in an institution upstate, which meant no more explosions, but still. He didn't get paid enough for this crap. Finally, the last bell rang, and Gordon heard the sound of students exiting the classrooms and making their way to the exits. The teachers would begin to arrive shortly.
Neil arrived first, with a bounce in his step and a song in his heart. "Wilkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome!"
Gordon waved, then gestured to the long table set up in the middle of the room. "Hi, Neil. Take a seat."
Neil did as he was told. Jervis Tetch arrived next, taking a seat three chairs down from Neil. "Hello, Jim," he greeted with a tip of his hat. "We're not in trouble again, are we?"
"No, Jervis, no one's in trouble." Not yet at least.
Jonathan Crane arrived next, pausing for a moment to narrow his eyes at Neil before taking a seat next to Jervis. Victor Fries, Miguel Dorrance, Harvey Dent, Kirk Langstrom, Victor Goodman, and Basil Karlo, the new drama teacher and bane of Neil's existence, arrived in quick succession, filling out the seats around the table. The Sirens arrived as a group, as usual, and took the last empty row on the far right. Bolton stomped in after them and glared at the assembled group. Crane's prank against him the previous October had succeeded in robbing him of his power over the group as not even Jervis or Arnold Wesker, the timid new chemistry teacher who followed him in, flinched at his display. Bolton's face fell and he took the last seat on the far left.
"Are we all here?" Gordon asked, looking over the room. He noticed two empty chairs between Jonathan and Neil, did a mental headcount, and let out a groan. "Where are Edward and Dr. Young?"
"They'll be along," Harley chirped. "Penny's just wrapping up her 'private consultation' with Eddie in her office."
Gordon wiped his hand across his face. "God Damn it." Six months after al Ghul's visit, and Edward and Penelope were still conducting themselves like newlyweds. It would be almost adorable if they didn't seem to insist on doing so during school hours. He'd already had to promise Waylon and the rest of the janitorial staff a 10% pay raise for all the times they'd found themselves locked out of their closets, or unable to enter a room to clean it. At least the pair of them had enough decency to not leave a mess. Well, decency may be a bit of an overstatement where Edward was concerned. Speak of the Devil and he will appear, the pair chose that moment to enter, holding hands and ignoring everything else in the room but each other. They took the empty seats between Jonathan and Neil, ignoring Harley's giggling, Pamela's scoff, Jonathan's eyeroll, and Bolton's glare. "Well," Gordon cleared his throat. "Now that we're all here. You all know what time of year it is?"
"Time for us to cheat on our taxes?" Edward quipped.
"Eddie," Penelope scolded. "Behave."
"No," Gordon said firmly. "It's the last week of April. You all know what that means."
Realization dawned on the assembled group. Some, like Jervis, Edward, and Harley, turned pale. Others, like Harvey, Jonathan, and Pamela, turned stoic. Others, like Arnold, Basil, and Penelope, became confused. "I'm sorry," Penelope said. "I don't follow. What's going on?"
"Next week is the yearly Freshman Spring Field Trip," Gordon explained. "Every year on the first week of May, Gotham Academy takes its Freshman class on a field trip."
"And every year chaos ensues," Pamela grumbled. "Where are we even taking them this year? Weren't we banned from every water park in the tri-state area after last year?"
Penelope looked at Edward with wide eyes. "How did you get banned from every water park in the tri-state area?"
"It's a long story, Darling," Edward answered. "But let's just say it involves water slides being used in a way that was not their intended purpose, an unfortunate bowel movement in the wave pool, and Kerr wearing a thong."
The group shuddered as one at the mental image.
"We're not going to a water park," Gordon said.
"I thought we were banned from all zoos too, after what happened the year before last," Jonathan said.
Penelope opened her mouth, then closed it and took a deep breath. "Let me guess: the kids freed all the animals?"
Edward scoffed. "If only it was that mundane."
"We're not going to a zoo either," Gordon said. "Somehow, we managed to find a theme park about 60 miles upstate that was willing to accept us."
"Our merry little demons in a theme park," Jonathan drawled. "What could possibly go wrong?"
Gordon ignored him and continued. "We'll be sending out permission slips tomorrow that will be due on Friday. The trip is next Friday. Now, traditionally, we allow the Seniors to have the day of the field trip off as a free day and keep the Sophomores and Juniors on a half-day schedule. We'll still need about half of you to stay here to mind the place while the rest of us are on the trip. I'll be going on the trip myself, so I'll need a couple of you to come with me. Any volunteers?" A still silence swept across the room. Penelope moved to raise her hand, but Edward caught it and gently lowered it, shaking his head at her. Gordon took a deep breath. "Fine. And who wants to volunteer to stay at the school?" Everyone as one raised their hands, just as he expected. "Come on folks," he pleaded. "I don't like this any more than you do, but it has to be done. Someone, anyone, needs to volunteer to come on the trip." No one said a word or moved a muscle, not even Neil. Gordon set his jaw. "Fine. I'm afraid you leave me no choice." He turned to his left and nodded. "Kristen. The straws please."
Kristen dutifully stepped forward and presented the straws to the group. "Short straws go on the trip, long straws stay at the school. There should be enough for everyone." She gave them a solemn nod. "May the odds be ever in your favor." She started at the far left side of the table and worked her way down. Bolton was the first to draw a straw, pulling out a long one. Gordon breathed a sigh of relief. Bolton was the last person he wanted on this trip. Miguel was next, pulling a short straw and scowling. Then Langstrom and Goodman, each pulling a long straw. Fries pulled a short straw, Wesker a long straw, Karlo a short one. Harvey drew a short straw and loudly cursed. Neil also pulled a short straw and pouted. Penelope was next, pulling a long straw to her and Edward's visible relief. Then it was Edward's turn. He looked at the straws bunched in Kristen's hands and pondered them for a long moment.
"Just pick a damn straw and get it over with," Jonathan grumbled.
"Don't rush me," Edward snapped back. He finally picked a straw. A short straw. His face fell and he crossed his arms. Jonathan was next, also pulling a short straw. He handled it more gracefully than Edward at least.
Jervis pulled a straw next, getting a short straw. "Oh well," he chuckled nervously. "Least we're all together, right chaps?" Gordon already felt dread pooling in his stomach at the thought of all three members of the Dork Squad on the trip together.
That just left the Sirens. Harley bit her lip and drew a straw, whooping for joy when it was a long straw. Pamela was next, drawing a long straw. Finally, Selina drew the last straw and smiled like the cat who had gotten the cream. It was a long one. The Sirens would be staying at Gotham Academy together. Gordon didn't know whether to be relieved or worried.
Edward at least wasn't shy about making his displeasure at this known. "How did they each manage to draw a long straw!?" He jabbed his finger in their direction. "They cheated! They must have!"
"We drew straws!" Selina said, rolling her eyes. "How could we have possibly cheated?"
"Well, you did!" Edward shouted back.
"I'm callin' shenanigans too," Jonathan joined in.
"No, there are no shenanigans," Gordon said. "And we're not going to spend the rest of the afternoon arguing about this. Anyone who drew a short straw is going on this trip and that's final!" Harley triumphantly stuck her tongue out at Edward. He opened his mouth to retaliate, only for Penelope to give him a pointed look. He closed it, then crossed his arms again in a sullen pout. "So we're settled," Gordon spoke again. "Miguel, Victor Fries, Basil, Harvey, Neil, Edward, Jonathan, Jervis and myself will be on the trip, Bolton, Victor Goodman, Kirk, Arnold, Penelope, Harley, Pamela, and Selina will be staying at the school. Any questions?"
"You still haven't said where exactly we're going, Jim," Harvey pointed out.
Gordon blinked. "Oh, right. We'll be going to Mt. Olympus theme park."
At the mention of the theme park's name, Edward went rigid in his seat. Penelope noticed and shot him a concerned look. "Ooh," Harley said. "That's that new one based on a videogame, isn't it? The one with the big maze in the middle of it! What's it called?"
"The Riddle of the Minotaur," Edward said. His face looked ashen. He abruptly got up out of his seat, much to the confusion of the rest of the room. "Excuse me." He then fled from the room. Penelope and Jonathan looked at each other, then got up to follow Edward out, Jervis in close pursuit.
Gordon rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the rest of the equally surprised group. "What do you suppose that was about?"
