Shadows Of Gotham

Fridays were starting to become Amora's favorite.

She didn't love school, but it wasn't terrible anymore. And she didn't exactly relax at Wayne Manor, but it was the closest she'd felt to calm in a long time. At least, calm in the sense that no one was trying to stab her or turn her into a shadow monster. That counted for something.

It had been a weird couple of months. She'd gotten used to her room, figured out the schedule for hot water, and even started to get along with Tim—not that she'd ever admit that out loud. Bruce was still a puzzle, but a little less of one lately. There'd been a few quiet moments between them since the gala, ones that didn't feel like an interrogation or some awkward charity case interaction.

And somehow, against all odds, she'd picked up the habit of watching the news. Tim had shown her how to use the ridiculous smart remote a few weeks ago, and ever since, she'd made a point to check in on Gotham's chaos. It made her feel like she understood the city a little better, or at least like it wasn't moving without her.

So when she flopped onto the couch that afternoon, schoolbag tossed aside and a fuzzy blanket wrapped around her legs, it felt like any other normal day. Boring news stories flickered across the screen—something about the mayor's assistant being caught stealing city funds, another "maybe-vigilante" sighting near Blackgate Prison.

She was halfway to zoning out when the broadcast suddenly cut to black, then flashed red: BREAKING NEWS.

The screen returned with shaky helicopter footage, showing smoke rising between skyscrapers and a massive blur of movement. Reporters spoke rapidly over each other, words like "mutated creature," "possible genetic engineering," and "rampage in Midtown" blaring from the TV's speakers.

At first, the image didn't make sense—too many limbs, too much chaos. But then the feed steadied just enough.

And Amora felt her blood run cold.

She knew exactly what it was.

A Chimera.

Its lion's head roared, flames flickering from its maw. A goat's head jutted grotesquely from its back, and its tail—a snake—snapped at the air like it was alive on its own.

No science experiment made that.

No mortal could see that.

That thing should not have been able to enter gotham.

She jumped to her feet, heart pounding. "What the hell—?"

She sprinted from the room, heading straight for Bruce's study. "Bruce?!" she yelled, already knowing it was pointless. No answer.

She flew up the stairs to Tim's room. "Tim?!"

Nothing.

The house was silent in a way it usually wasn't.

"Bruce! Tim!" Her voice echoed down the hallway as she ran back downstairs.

Finally, a voice—measured and calm—drifted toward her.

"Miss Stone?"

She turned to see Alfred stepping out of the hallway, as composed as always, hands behind his back like he hadn't just emerged into full-on panic.

"Alfred!" Amora all but ran to him. "Where are Bruce and Tim, Did you see the news?!That thing—it's not just—there's a monster in Midtown!" She asks urgently, looking around the room. As if still hoping they'd pop out.

Alfred just stood there, watching her with that even gaze, "they were unfortunate called into Wayne Enterprises for an urgent matter"

Amora looked back at him with wide eyes,
"But they were just here- There's a whole monster down town, What if they get hurt, can't you see it?"