Arkham High

Bruce Wayne is a billionaire, a playboy, the inheritor of Wayne Enterprises, and the least likely person to be attending Arkham High, the most dangerous high school in Gotham City. However after a lead in a vandalisation case has him chasing an Arkham High student, that's exactly the place he enrolls at.

This is my updated version of a story I wrote five years ago at the time of writing, named Gotham High. I wrote that story when I was mostly 12 and I never finished it, however I wasn't happy with it and decided to rewrite the whole thing. The last story was set from Harleen Quinzel's perspective though this one will go from Bruce Wayne's perspective, with a lot of changes in the characters compared to that initial book. Sorry to fans of the initial but I won't delete it as I know a lot of people like it.

Anyways... on with the story.

Bruce Wayne was perched atop a high place, watching his prey move below him.

It was something he did often, his hobby for helping the GCPD solve crimes they didn't want meant that he'd often be on a high place, scoping out the area for the people he was looking for. Tonight it was in the Tricorner District in South Gotham City, as Bruce watched the man he had been waiting for finally arrive.

TS, or as the GCPD knew him, Tobias Steppenholme, was a twenty one year old drug dealer, operating mostly in this district. He was a known offender still on probation after seven months in prison, but he was most importantly a key witness in Bruce's investigation.

He was talking with two other guys, most likely intwined with his criminal ring. They'd be easily taken out with the smoke bombs and a concussion.

Bruce reached to his pocket to retrieve one of his homemade smoke bombs, lining it up, before releasing it into the group of three. He didn't have much time under the cloud cleared and so at the signal of men coughing and spluttering, he leapt from his high point. The first man was incapacitated by a sweep of his legs and a knock to the skull. The second was more easily taken out with a strong bash of heads together.

By the time the smoke had cleared Bruce had the scrawny drug dealer pinned against the wall by his neck. TS stared back at the other man with pure caution and fright, little did he know that behind the black ski mask, pants and coat was an eighteen year old billionaire orphan. Bruce was sure that would probably scare him more.

"Tobias Steffenholme, tell me everything you know about the vandal behind this graffiti." Bruce began in a few pitches below his normal speaking voice in a way that was still natural. He held up a phone showing a photo of graffiti in the shape of a clown.

TS strained against his hold and raised his hands to try and loosen Bruce's grip, without any luck. "I don't know, it's just -ack- graffiti-" he spluttered, his features narrowed in confusion.

Bruce grunted in dismissal. "This graffiti was painted after the culprit destroyed the property inside. They're all over the city. Now I know you know something about the vandal, so we can either do this the easy way, or the hard way." he retorted dangerously.

The man was broad in stature and defined in muscle, and so the much smaller drug dealer didn't need any more convincing.

"Alright alright I know the kid- funny looking kid, dressed all secretive in a hood and jacket y'know?" he responded desperately.

Bruce's grip tightened as his brow similarly narrowed. "What was his name?" he demanded in a low growl.

At this point the dealer was whimpering to get away, and he shook his hands to compensate for the inability to shake his head no. "He didn't give a name, he just saw be standing on that corner and paid me to help him burn the place up that's all-"

"You're on probation Tobias. One word and I could have the GCPD over here and send you back to Blackgate." Bruce was almost snarling under his ski mask.

TS looked like he was on the brink of pissing himself. "Shit man it doesn't have to be like that- alright the kid had a logo on his hoodie, a knight or something-"

Bruce predicted this was all he would be getting out of the man right now, and he could hear commotion edging closer and closer with each minute. He couldn't risk hanging around here any longer. Without a warning he head butted TS hard and released him once he felt weak in his grip. He slipped into the shadows, and raced away into the night, desperate to find the next piece of the puzzle.

"You'll get square eyes staring at the screen like that." Alfred, Bruce's butler and legal guardian asked, standing over him.

Alfred's aged features creased as his eyes passed over the several other plates of untouched food and cups of English tea. Bruce was sat upright typing something into his computer in the manor's office, a very expensive piece of equipment designed by Wayne Enterprises themselves.

Bruce didn't reply to this as he searched something else into the advanced database, and so with a sigh Alfred took it as his opportunity to wander elsewhere.

From this search he finally sprung results. At first he had been on the wrong trail when looking for the knight logo, he'd gone too broad and into the knights of Templar or simply those in metal armour. It was when he'd narrowed it down to Gotham City and even further into insignia that could be found on clothing that he reached the answer.

Arkham Knights hoodies only 15, support your school team by buying one and wearing your colours!

- also available in hats and sweatshirts

Underneath was a picture of the said hoodie: it was black with a Go Knights! message embroidered on the left breast. The item itself was posted on the website of a school named Arkham High, a Gotham high school that was much talked about in this city. The school and surrounding facilities were located on Arkham Island, connected to the mainland by a large bridge. It was renowned for being the worst performing school on the East Coast, and yet it had no plans to leave.

The school was cheaply run and had been caught employing and allowing ex-cons to enroll, which resulted in a lot of questionable behaviour from students and teachers alike. Bruce had seen the school mentioned a lot in the local newspaper, most recently due to the old principal running off with a load of money. He had quickly been replaced by a Mr Al Ghul if his memory served him correctly.

No matter how badly run and dangerous the school was to people like Bruce, the school's team was the Knights, the team the culprit's hoodie had been from. If he really wanted to keep following this lead, he had to go into the school itself and chase out the vandal.

"Alfred!" Bruce called, finally pulling away from his computer.

The butler had been in another room but swiftly reentered at the sound of his name. "Yes, Master Bruce?" he asked politely.

The corner of Bruce's mouth tipped upwards. "Get on the line with Principal Al Ghul. I'm going to Arkham High." he requested.

The horrified look on Alfred's face said it all.