Crimson X

Heels clanked on the floor. Her two pigtails flowed behind her as she walked through the building. A musty smell held an invasion on her nose – of which wasn’t very pleasant. A medical mask covered her mouth to try and stop any dust from entering her lungs. Her eyes darted from the scattered papers on the floor to the cracks in the wall. She sighed; the building was in even worst condition from the time she left. A patient shouldn’t have to live in these conditions.
“If they’re going to rehabilitate they’re going to need a cleaner place,” her voice was muffled behind the mask she wore. “It’ll need to be a brighter and calmer place. With everything scattered, they’re minds will be scattered. Their environment will affect them greatly, and it’ll put the animals on edge as well…If the animal is on edge then there could be a possible bite, which could lead to the animals being killed.”
A chill ran down her spine – one that frightened her. She turned around quickly, her eyes widened. Nothing was there, not that she could see. The woman cursed under her breath and continued walking through the asylum as she inspected it.
“Mister Crane?” She questioned out loud. “It’s not you that’s here, is it?” There was no response. “It’s me, Shar Channing.” Still nothing. She sighed; being in an abandoned asylum at night must just be giving her the creeps.
---Time Skip---
“How has getting Harleen Quinzell out of Arkham City been going?” Shar took a sip of her tea as Bruce Wayne and herself were sitting in a coffee shop – she wasn’t one for coffee.
“It’s been difficult; I almost got myself killed in the process,” he stated in monotone. Something was most definitely wrong with him.
“Bruce,” Shar started cautiously, “Is…Is everything alright?”
“Why does everyone keep on asking me that!?” He snapped.
Shar flinched, “You just haven’t been yourself ever since Arkham City…Look, what happened in there was not your fault.
“You think I don’t know that?”
“Yes, I think that you don’t know that,” Shar argued. “You keep on acting like your blaming yourself. I know you have this whole rule on not killing people, and you didn’t kill The Joker! He did this to himself. And even though you didn’t kill him, it’s a good thing that he’s gone. Look, why don’t I set you up for some therapy, you don’t have to me be your psychia--.”
“I don’t need therapy!” He stood up enraged. People in the shop stared at was going on. “I’m not one of those freaks that will be going to Arkham! I’m perfectly fine!” He stormed out of the shop.
Shar watched him sadly as he left. She wanted to do something for him, but if he was unwilling to let her help him she couldn’t do anything.
“Is everything alright, Miss?” A man questioned. Shar looked up seeing a man with rather dark skin. It was the same person at her press conference.
“Yes,” she nodded warily. “You were at my press conference, weren’t you?”
“Indeed I was, my name is Jean-Michael.”
“Jean-Michael?” Shar stood up and stuck her hand out, “Shar Channing. It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too. The man you were talking to, wasn’t he Bruce Wayne? He seemed rather unsteady.”
Shar looked at the door of which Bruce left, “Well, as I’m sure you know he was thrown into Arkham City by Hugo Strange. I’m sure he has posttraumatic stress disorder, as many people will have after something so horrific.”
“Yes,” the man nodded. “I’m sure that’s it…Well, I’m afraid I must be off…I’ll be seeing you in the near future, Doctor Channing.”
Shar narrowed her eyes, what did that mean. In Gotham she was sure that it never meant something gone. Before she could even questioned him he was gone, much like how Batman disappears. She gulped slightly; there was something that she didn’t like about this man.
---Time Skip---
Shar Channing clipped the red tape in front of Arkham Asylum with a pair of oversized scissors. She smiled at the cameras as her mental institute was now open and ready for business. It’s taken a few months to actually get it back up and make it hospitable for the patients, but it was worth it.
Her eyes traced over to Bruce Wayne who was standing their expressionless. She frowned, he hasn’t been the same…He’s been getting more and more destructive with every meeting she’s had with him. At times she’s wondered if he was actually Hush, but nothing ever hinted that it was him besides his behavior.
Shar walked into the asylum and checked in patients to the asylum. She smiled kindly at each of them. Some were kind enough to smile back, others glared, and some were too out of it to do nothing but drool and mutter nonsense. One patient in particular made her grow nervous, Harley Quinn.
“Hello, Miss Quinn,” Shar smiled at the girl who now had darker hair after The Joker died from an illness. “How are you today?”
Harley glared at her, “You! You’re the one that got in the way of Mistah Jay’s plan!” Tears built up in her eyes.
Shar stood up and cleared her throat, “Gentlemen, may I speak to Miss Quinn alone?”
The guards glanced at each other and guided the two women to a therapy room. Though, they didn’t uncuff Harley, of which Shar was slightly glad that they didn’t.
“Miss Quinn,” Shar sat on the desk and looked at Harley as she was trying to kill the doctor with her mind. “I simply took out the snipers that were aiming to kill Batman. Actually, I only took out one, Batman took out the others. The only reason I knocked you out with the bat you gave me was in self-defense. I honestly didn’t want to hurt you or anyone else.”
“Oh, yeah, sure!”
Shar sighed, “Listen, Harley,” she was now using her first name. “I just don’t like seeing people getting killed. That being said.” She paused as she thought over what she was going to say, “I’m sorry about your loss…I know what it’s like to lose a loved one, and I don’t want to ever wish that pain onto someone else…I’m really sorry about it. If there’s anything I can do, please let me know.”
Harley looked at her, “Ya know? You’re the first person to tell me that!” She broke down into sobs. “They all think I’m crazy, but I really did love Mistah Jay!”
Shar placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, “I know…It feels like everything around you is crumbling around you right now, but it’ll be okay…It may not be now or in a month, but it will be. If there’s anything I can do let me know.” Harley muttered something, but it was in audible to Shar. “What was that?”
“Nothing!” Harley shook her head. “Just leave me alone!”
Shar nodded slowly, “Alright, we’ll get you to your cell…”
---Time Skip---
Shar stood in her bedroom as she took out her clothes for Crimson X. Her hands felt to the bottom of her shirt and she started to pull up. However, right when it was about to go to her bra she stopped. A cool wind blew through her window. She didn’t remember leaving it open when she left.
“Alright,” she pulled her shirt back down and turned around, “What vigilante, rogue, or whatever is here now?” She grabbed her wooden sword just in case. “I am not housing any more rogues, unless they’re about to die!” She shouted.
“You house rogues?” A familiar voice sounded.
Shar turned around seeing Robin standing there, “I housed Crane when he was about to die after Killer Croc’s attack and Edward just to make sure he’d stay out of trouble.” She placed her sword down, “Though, I’m sure Bruce already told you that.”
“He did.”
“Now were you going to just watch me undress?” Shar turned around quirking an eyebrow. Robin turned a beat red, causing Shar to laugh. “Don’t worry about it. Now why are you here?”
“It’s about Bruce.”
“What about him?”
“He’s not the same.”
Shar sighed as she sat down onto her bed, “I know…He’s blaming himself for Joker’s death and he’s taking it too far…” She looked at Robin, “Do you think he’ll actually go far enough to kill someone? I know it’s against his morals…But…He’s getting more and more violent, and that’s just as Bruce Wayne, not as Batman.”
“That’s why I’m worried,” he paced around her bedroom. “I’ve been with him for a couple of nights, just to keep an eye on him, and he’s almost killed a few thugs. I had to actually stop him from going any further. Then there’s Hosh, who is still running around. He hasn’t done anything to ruin Bruce’s life yet, but he still could. That’s why you should--.”
“Be careful when I’m meeting with Bruce, I know,” She nodded. “I already ran into Hush in Arkham City, I’m just glad he doesn’t know that Bruce is Batman.”
“It’s only a matter of time before he finds out,” Robin noted. “Did you get all of the patients checked into the asylum?”
“Some of them are still missing.”
“Like?”
“Killer Croc, Riddler, Scarecrow, and Clayface are the only ones that are major. There are some minorities, but they’re not as dangerous,” Shar stood up. “I’m also assuming that Cobblepot went to Blackgate?”
“Yeah, he’s there now.”
“There is one other name, but it wasn’t in the records at all,” Shar bit her lip. “The inmates were talking about him, it, whatever it is. They said it was like a zombie and it was a giant. Solomon Grundy, I think was the name they used.”
Robin sighed gravely, “Solomon Grundy is like a zombie. He’s “dead” right now, and he’s been transported, so people can’t revive him. Hopefully no one will get to him.” Robin walked towards the window, “I’ll get going…Oh, try and stay out of the sewers.”
“Will do,” Shar smiled slightly knowing that he was referencing Killer Croc.