Re: The Party Pooper + Everyone
The mayor stumbled from the hit, left dazed even has his body was whipped around and he was pulled that much closer to danger. His semi-conscious state made it difficult for him to even struggle let alone realize that the gunshots around him were not aimed in his general direction.
Bruce's attention snapped to the initial gunfire and he mentally scolded himself for being so careless. No matter how dazed or unstable the masked men had appeared upon first inspection, he should have known they were prepared to fire. The echo of the shots sent the crowd of party goers into a frenzy. Screams and cries filled the air and everyone searched frantically for a wait out. Their frantic movements made it impossible for Bruce to trace the clown's steps. Without the distinctive purple guard, he was indiscernible from the blur of glitz and glamor of the panicked elite.
Pushing through the crowds, he did all he could to follow the Joker's path while keeping an eye out for gunman. The occasional, pained shout reached his ears and he tried not to flinch. It was his fault these people were hurt. More blood on his hands that he was powerless to prevent. The backlash Bruce Wayne would receive for his antics would keep him away from the public eye for some time, affording him the opportunity to find the mayor before it was too late.
Through the crowds, Bruce noticed a tuft of bright orange from one of the mask and the gleam of a gun brought him rushing forward. The trigger snapped and the playboy positioned himself between the gunman and his target, one of the young orphans. His arms wrapped around the boy and he pulled him down, but he was not fast enough to avoid the sear of the bullet as it tore through his left shoulder.
They both clattered to the ground, the boy too scared to realize what had happened. He screamed and cried and struggled to free himself from the tight grip Bruce had on him.
Bruce bit his tongue, silencing a grunt of pain as he struggled to turn his head towards his shoulder. The jacket was ruined and the shirt was quickly becoming wet with his blood. Alfred was going to kill him.