Oswald Cobblepot, better known as the Penguin,waddles swiftly his sharp eyes darting from shadow to shadow as he led his crew through the narrow alleyways of Gotham. His signature top hat was slightly askew, his monocle gleaming in the dim light of the city’s underground. His heavy coat flapped behind him, and his umbrella—more than just a simple accessory—was gripped tightly in his hand. Behind him, his crew of thugs—rough, dirty, but loyal—followed close, casting nervous glances over their shoulders.

"Quicker, ya mugs!" Penguin hissed, his voice a low growl. "The Bat ain’t far behind, and I don’t intend to be his catch of the night!"

One of his men, a burly brute named Frankie, grumbled, "We ain't gonna outrun him forever, boss."

Penguin's scowl deepened. "Not forever, Frankie, just long enough. Now keep movin'!"

They ducked around another corner, the distant sound of a grapple gun faintly echoing behind them. Batman was hunting them, and Penguin knew from experience that the Dark Knight was like a shadow that never gave up, always lurking, always watching. His heart raced, his blood pumping with the thrill of escape, but he was no fool. They needed a place to hide—somewhere off the beaten path, somewhere Batman wouldn’t think to look.

That’s when he saw it.

A towering, dilapidated glass door stood at the end of an alleyway, partially hidden by overgrown vines and rubble. The Penguin squinted through his monocle, adjusting it slightly. There was something strange about the place, something that felt… off.

"Boss, what’s that?" one of his men, Rocco, asked, his voice trembling as he pointed to the door.

"Looks like an old mall or somethin'," Penguin muttered, his mind working fast. This was Gotham; the city had a thousand hidden corners, places long forgotten. But he had never seen or heard of this before. Still, in their current predicament, it was the perfect spot to hide from the Bat.

"Alright, boys, in we go," he commanded, his voice hard.

His men hesitated for a moment, exchanging wary glances, but they knew better than to question the Penguin when he was in a mood like this. One by one, they followed him as he shoved open the door with a grunt, and they disappeared into the darkness of the mall.

Inside, the air was musty, thick with dust and decay. The mall was vast, larger than it had appeared from the outside. Broken glass crunched underfoot as they moved deeper in, the echoes of their footsteps bouncing eerily off the walls. The once-bustling shopping center was a ruin—cracked tiles, flickering lights, and storefronts that were barely standing.

"What is this place?" Rocco muttered.

"Looks like it's been abandoned for years," Frankie added, his heavy boots kicking up dust.

Penguin, ever the calculating one, scanned the surroundings. There was something unnatural about this place, something that made his skin crawl, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on why. Still, it was a perfect place to lay low.

"Alright, alright, quit your jabberin'," Penguin snapped, his voice sharp. "We’ll hole up here for a bit, let the Bat get bored and fly off to someone else. Then we move. Got it?"

The crew nodded, though unease lingered in their eyes.

grimy with dirt and almost completely covered in years of neglect. He wasn’t sure what they were walking into, but it was better than standing out in the open, waiting for Batman to swoop down and ruin his night—again.

Broken storefronts lined the walls, their windows shattered or caked with dirt. The once-vibrant tile floors were cracked and littered with debris. A faint, eerie light flickered from what few remaining bulbs hung overhead.

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Another one of his men, Bruno, glanced nervously around. “You think the Bat’ll follow us in here?”

“If he does, we’ll deal with him like always,” Penguin said, though his voice lacked the usual confidence. He turned, scanning the eerie halls. Despite the mall's run-down appearance, something about it seemed… alive. He couldn’t shake the feeling they were being watched.

Penguin tapped the tip of his umbrella against the floor, sending the faintest of echoes through the dead space. “Well, ain’t this just cozy,” he sneered, glancing around with disdain. “Good place to hide out, I suppose. But not exactly five-star accommodations.”

As they moved deeper into the mall, the arguments among his men started up, tension bubbling to the surface.

“This place is a dump,” one grumbled. “Should’ve stayed in the alley. This ain’t gonna help.”

“We got no choice,” another snapped. “Batman’s out there. You wanna deal with him instead?”

“Shut your mouths!” Penguin barked, silencing them. “Since when do I pay you to think? We lay low here till the Bat gets bored and then we leave. Simple.”

“Yeah, well, it feels like this place ain't seen a soul in decades,” another thug added, nervously scanning the surroundings.

Penguin ignored him, waddling deeper into the mall, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the wreckage of a place that had clearly seen better days. The odd thing was, despite the decay, the entire space felt… purposeful, like it wasn’t just a random relic of Gotham’s past.

As they moved further inside, the Penguin couldn’t help but grumble under his breath. “Always the same damn story. One job, one heist, and the Bat shows up, ruining everything.”

One of his men chuckled nervously. “You’ve escaped him before, boss. We’ll do it again.”

Oswald sneered. “Course we will. I ain’t lettin’ that bat-brain put me away. Not today. But this place…” He trailed off, looking around suspiciously. “There’s somethin’ off about it.”

His crew exchanged uneasy glances. They weren’t exactly the most observant bunch, but even they could feel it—a cold, creeping sensation that slithered down their spines, making them twitch and glance over their shoulders.

That’s when Oswald saw it.

At first, he thought it was just a trick of the light, a shadow flickering across the far end of the corridor. But then it moved—deliberately, slowly. A shape. A figure.

“Who’s there?” Oswald snapped, raising his umbrella defensively. His crew stiffened, following his gaze, their hands reaching for their weapons.

The shadow stepped closer, emerging from the dim light of a nearby store. It was tall—taller than any of them—and its form seemed to shift and ripple, like darkness itself had taken shape. Its body was vague, undefined, but its eyes—two bulbous, glowing white orbs—stared back at them with unsettling intensity. The eyes blinked once, then twice, as if it were studying them.

“Stay back!” Penguin barked, his umbrella pointed toward the figure, ready to fire. “I don’t know who—or what—you are, but this is my mall now, got it?”

The shadow didn’t flinch. Instead, it seemed to chuckle—a low, resonant sound that sent shivers down Oswald’s spine. The eyes gleamed with amusement, and then the figure spoke, its voice soft but deep, as if it came from some distant, forgotten place.

“Your mall? I think you misunderstand.”

The Penguin’s eyes narrowed, but there was a hesitation in his stance. “Yeah? Then whose is it?”

The figure drifted closer, its movements unnervingly smooth. As it approached, Oswald could make out more details—its form wasn’t entirely shadow; it had substance, but its body was made of something unnatural, something otherworldly.

“This mall,” the figure said, its voice echoing through the hollow space, “is the Nexus Conduit. A crossroads of realities. A place where worlds meet, where the impossible becomes possible.”

The crew exchanged nervous glances, clearly spooked. But Penguin wasn’t one to back down from a fight—or from information that might be valuable. He tilted his head, squinting at the shadowy figure. “Nexus Conduit, huh? That’s a fancy name. What’s it to you? You the one running this place?”

The figure’s eyes glowed brighter, and it gave what could only be described as a nod. “You could say that. I am its caretaker. And now, you are my guests.”

“Guests?” Oswald repeated, his suspicion growing. “I didn’t come here for tea and crumpets, pal. I came here to hide, so if you’ve got somethin’ to say, say it quick.”

The shadow chuckled again, the sound vibrating through the air. “In this place, you’ll find more than just a hiding spot. The Nexus offers… opportunities. Trade, knowledge, escape. But it also demands respect. You would do well to remember that.”

One of Oswald’s goons finally spoke up, his voice trembling. “Boss, maybe we should—uh—get outta here. This place gives me the creeps.”

Penguin glared at him, then turned back to the figure, curiosity piqued despite himself. “Opportunities, you say?” He twirled his umbrella absently, his mind already racing. “What kind of opportunities?”

The figure didn’t answer directly. Instead, it gestured toward the rows of shops behind it. “This mall is not like others. Its stores connect to different realities, different worlds. Anything you seek, you can find here—for a price.”

Oswald’s eyes gleamed at the possibilities. Different realities? Different worlds? This place—this Nexus Conduit—might be more than just a place to lay low. If what this shadow said was true, there could be endless riches, weapons, and power within his grasp. Far beyond what Gotham could offer.

Still, Penguin wasn’t about to let his excitement show. He kept his expression neutral, leaning on his umbrella and eying the figure warily. “I see. And what’s in it for you, huh? What’s the catch?”

The figure’s glowing eyes blinked slowly. “No catch. Only the natural order. You and your crew are welcome to explore, trade, and… survive. But the Nexus has its own rules. Break them, and you may find yourself lost in the void forever.”

Oswald gave a slow, thoughtful nod. “Alright, then. We’ll play by your rules—for now.” He turned to his crew, jerking his head toward the nearest store. “Spread out. See what this place has to offer.”

As his men scurried off, Penguin turned back to the shadowy figure. “One more thing—what do I call you?”

The figure's eyes gleamed in the dim light, the air around it swirling with energy. “Call me the Keeper.”

Penguin smirked, adjusting his hat. “The Keeper, huh? Well, Keeper, you’ve got yourself one hell of a mall. Let’s see if it lives up to the hype.”

The figure melted back into the shadows, its voice echoing one last time before disappearing entirely.

“Welcome to the Nexus Conduit, Oswald Cobblepot. You may find it’s more than you bargained for.”

With that, Penguin and his crew were left standing in the heart of the strange, dilapidated mall. The Penguin smiled to himself, already seeing opportunity in the chaos. He didn’t know what this place truly was, but if it could help him elude Batman and give him power, he would play along—for now.

"Nexus Conduit, huh?" he muttered, looking up at the crumbling ceiling. "Might be worth stickin' around a little while."