What is it that makes one afraid of the dark?
The lack of faith, the cold, the confusion, the mystery, the lack of control.
Yet, no one person feels the same, nor do they share the same fears, for that matter.
In this back alley in the broken city, fear of the shade is so common, even when a place is full of bats, as the shade doesn't have a code or a reason that a human mind can understand.
A man's silhouette yet there is no man behind the grey suit.
The shade takes and gives, helps and kills.
No one understands and no one will ever.
As Gotham, the twisted city, goes through another night, in a cave, a rich billionaire with a lot of issues types in his computer, trying to solve the oldest mysteries of the city.
"Again no results"
"Master Bruce I think to take rest after all the shade won't be going anywhere any time soon"
"That's exactly the problem Alfred he was here for as long as Gotham was a city"
"He doesn't make sense he appears sometimes to kill or to save"
"He plays neither the hero nor the villain"
The most recent victim of the shade was a drug kingpin named Ricardo.
The problem isn't that he killed a drug kingpin, the problem is that he didn't even when Ricardo's image was clean enough in the public's eyes, yet he was still known as who he was.
Either he had ties with the government to get that kind of information or had ties with some secret organization, but what was disturbing was that he always knew before anyone else had.
The shade appeared since 1958, when Gotham was still a new city, killing criminals and erasing criminal organizations since then.
The Shade never spoke, never had a clear objective for his actions, yet he still helped other superheroes when needed.
And that brings other problems to his character. He doesn't seem to make sense power-wise. On one hand, he fought gods and aliens and still won, yet he fought the goons of Gotham like a regular person.
It seems he likes to play with his food or maybe it's just a way for him to have a challenge.
Another one of the mysteries of the shade is his relationship with the Joker.
Unlike other criminals, the shade always kept the Joker alive for most part the closest time the shade came close to killing him is when joker shot Barbara in her apartment the shade was behind him him and his goons were petrified of his presence at that moment the joker have suffered from numerous internal injuries and entered a coma but his followers weren't so lucky that turned into puddle of red liquid.
The question. Still, why does the shade keep the Joker around like he is waiting for something to happen? He killed criminals for far fewer crimes than Joker.
Maybe Alfred is right, there is no point in thinking about it now, it's time for rest.
In an open coffee shop
Glasses were being cleaned by the owner. This place is always quiet, even though the street is quite busy.
Putting the last cup away the owner hung the apron and headed to his room in the shop.
The shop had 9 rooms, which were on the ground floor, as it helped him have easy access to his work and keep an eye on making sure his residents have a peaceful life here.
What was his name again?
Ah, of course, he can't spell it, or the consequences can be very inconvenient.
The owner took the book from the counter, checking the transaction of the day, of course, only 13 customers today, the business is as bad as usual, nothing surprising here.
He went to put the book away only to hear footsteps coming from a higher floor.
A short blond-haired woman with slitted eyes like a cat looked at the figure, walked closer and closer to him, putting her hand on his head.
She is sleepwalking more and more, he gently caressed her head and kissed her ear.
Another footstep is coming from above. This time, a blonde woman with blonde wavy hair closed the distance and sat next to the owner.
"I came to bring her up but it seems she found her peace"
Here slender hand removed the owner's hand from the sleepy head and intertwined her fingers with his.
"When are you going to marry us"
The blond asked now putting her other hand on his chest and her head on his shoulder, her breath hitting him in the neck.
"I know we need you, you know"
The owner stayed silent, not giving her an answer, but also not putting a stop to her approach.
"We wouldn't be this happy without you"
"Please just let us make you happy"
Lifting her head from his shoulder Teresa looked directly into his eyes.
"After all you've done for us you can't abandon us like that can you"
Her eyes were clear, but only conviction was behind them.
The man still didn't answer, after all, he never talked, he just acted, and thus time is no different. He lifted her chin with his hand and bit her neck, making her shake with excitement. Her face became red, and her body gave up for him, yet he stopped.
He looked back at her then at the blond on his lap.
She understood his gesture.
"Maybe later preferably when she is awake and active in our intimacy"
The blond kissed him briefly before going back to her room.
The owner lifted the other blond in a princess carry now she was snuggling even closer to his chest.
Lifting her to her room too.
Closing the shop the owner made sure that the night was acceptable to his tenants.
Checking each room before bed, making sure they don't need anything before closing.
Afterall they were his responsibility.
Lying on his queen bed and turning off for the night.