Jokers' Apprentice by
Lore
A crushed can of coke bounced of against the wall. The man that had kicked it was shivering. Huddled closely in his flashy purple coat. His wet hair clung to his face and he shut his eyes as much as possible to protect them from the rain.Only the tips of his white gloves stuck out from his pockets. "Damn bat. For just once, one time can't he show up when I want him too. He's supposed to be the one being rained on, not me. But no. Damn bat can't show up the one time he has too." He pushed his hat further on his head, trying to keep it on his head. A loud sound accompanied by a flash of light might him jump out of a pool of water. He shaked his head and straightened his collar, trying to cover his neck. There had to be some kind of shelter, somewhere, right? He could barely see where he was walking and felt something squichy under his foot. The look on his face was priceless, but the terrible weather had scared away even the rats that usually scurried through the alleys. He muttered further curses against the bat and tried to stay close to the walls, trying to find some kind of cover. It didn't help much and drops falling from the stairs and rooftops over him joined the rest of the rain in their attack. The neighbourhood was filled with warehouses, but he didn't really feel like trying any of them out. You never know who you might meet, big nasty drugdealers, hobo's that stank hours in the wind, a little girlscout with twin tails, trying to dominate the world with her cookies. No better to hurry up to his car. It would be just his luck if someone had stolen it. He rushed through the alley to his Jokermobile when he could hear the sound coming from right next to him. He stared up, unsure what to do. His first thought was that it was a lovers squat right out of the Adams family. A boy and a girl were fighting, with swords no less. The girls black skintight outfit barely covered her body and her skirt was just long enough to hide her ass. The boy was dressed much more simple. A blue jeans with a leather vest over it. There were several tears in the leather and it seemed the boy was having a problem with the rain coming down on him. He slipped and fell. The girl came at him with her sword but he rolled out of the way and kicked her in the stomach. The clown stared at them with a smile on his face, his only regret that he'd left the popcorn at home. He stared at the gruesome sight, at the wicked long blade the boy put through her stomach and grinned when he pulled it out and drops of red mixed with the mud underneath them. She
was lying there, helpless and he heard her words. "Off with her head." he whispered a tad bit louder than he'd intended. The boy turned around, looking up at him as he broke out in laughter. The boy seemed almost bothered in a private moment. Should I leave him alone with his corpse, he wondered for a second. But that's when it really started. It was as if lightening strikes came shooting from the sky as if punishing the boy with their intensity. The
young redhead started shaking under the bolts and the clown was surprised
to see the intense mixture of pleasure and pain on his face. So beautiful
that one. But
eventually the puppetteer let go and the boy fell on his knees. His
head between his tighs as if he he were to drunk on whatever kick
he'd just gotten to look up. "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him well." He threw the head over his shoulder and headed up to the boy that was still trying to get up, holding his chest in pain. The
clown broke out in a wild aplause.
Chapter 1 The night was running in its final reaches. A few rays of sunlight were shining over the edge of the furthest buildings and even the man behind the mask knew it was time to give up. He stared at the sight and jumped down, ready to leave the bell tower. He wasn't sure what it was that had kept him so long. There was a feeling in the air, of expectation, of something that was coming. Nothing had. As he dove down he felt the thrill of cold air touch his face. Something was coming, he was sure of it. He'd sent the boy home hours ago. The child didn't understand it but was happy anyway. His wide dark cape hung loosely in the air, giving him an added block against the wind, slowing his descent. He let his fall go free till the last possible moment, enjoying the freedom of the drop. When he got to his car, his skin tingled and his eyes grew heavy. Three nights in a row till the earliest hours. It was cold but his Teflon coated costume protected him from the breeze. And as the Batman left, back into the shadows, eyes stared at him, unsure of what to think. ******** The young redhead groaned as he stretched his muscles. He got up tilting the sheets up with him. He tilted his neck and moaned low and heavy. The carpet felt fuzzy under his naked feet as he moved up. He grabbed the blanket and pulled it over his lovers body. The early morning light made him flinch a second before he decided to leave the drapes closed. Was
that really him, that image awaiting him in the mirror. He wasn't
sure. He stared at it. His neck arched as he felt the lips on his
neck. The
man picked up a bottle of make up. Richie
stared at the dark figure before him. His other half, the one the
people would see of him. A dark face with red touches like fire on
a shadowed background. All of it surrounding the place where his mask
would come. ****** Tim yawned slightly as he woke up. The housekeeper, Mrs. Macintyre was yelling at him, telling him it was time to get out of bed, his father was waiting for him. Tim covered his head in his pillow trying desperate not to hear her voice, to see the light. It was Saturday morning. Why couldn't they just let him sleep? But his father didn't know about his night outings as Robin. He didn't have a clue his son had just spent the entire night helping out Batman. To make matters even worse, the man left shortly after they spoke a few words in the kitchen. Tim took of his pajamas and started dressing. Unsure of how to put one foot in front of the other. He barely noticed his shirt was on backwards and he only changed it after the housekeeper mentioned it. She looked at the sleep in his eyes and gave him pancakes for breakfast, wondering if he was getting sick. He yawned again as he headed up to Wayne Manor. It awaited him in the same sleepy mood that was still covering his brain. Everything was quiet, to quiet. Alfred accepted him and gave him a cup of coco. Tim held it in both hands as he drank it. He rested
back against his chair. ****** "Damn
it, I can't believe he lets him get away with this." A man
was watching them. He sat there listening as they continued on about
the upcoming football game. It was probably useless to stay any longer.
He knew all he had to know from them. Chapter Two
People
were spread all across the room, lying huddled on tables, they're
faces cramped in an insane grin that spread all across. Some of them
were even still shaking. He stared at some of the paintings on the
walls around him. The
Joker turned to the painting he was staring at. The
Joker pushed up his face and kissed him, his tongue touching first
Richies lips, then the inside of the boys mouth. Laughing as he was
tickled by the short electrical flashes of healing. "Fun
Joker?" A deep dark voice came from above them. Richie stared up into the shadows above them. One of them broke loose and seemed to take shape. A darkly dressed man with a black cowl that was designed to make him look like a giant bat. The immortal smiled and got in front of the Joker, ready to protect his boss with his life. The
Joker looked sexy, the way that mixing bowl of rage and pleasure crossed
his face."The boy Red, get him for me." ****** 'Damn
it.' He battled
the flow of thugs the Joker sent up against him. There were too many,
he could barely stay up. From the back of his eye he could see Robin
go up against the Jokers partner. A man, no more like a boy, completely
dressed in red and black. The
Batman broke loose from the thugs just long enough to shoot out a
batarang, a last ditch effort to help out his young friend. Red took
it right out of the air. "Robin!"
he yelled. ****** Tim
froze up when the Joker touched his face. He tried not to show his
fear, but he couldn't help it. The mans touch itself made him feel
dirty. The
man carefully put him down on a big waterbed. Tim could see the childlike
motif on the walls, teddybears and clowns. "Joker
says to get you ready. Baby has to wear his pajamas." Tim tried
to think of anything but what the Joker might want him ready for.
Tim
tried to ignore the mans voice. The touch of the teddybear tickling
his nose, the boys hands on his body, turning him around as he closed
the flap in the back of the full body pajamas.
Batman could feel the cold dread close in on his heart. After losing Jason he'd sworn never to allow another boy to fight at his side. Then Tim had broken in his life, in his heart, and he'd been helpless to put a stop to it. He'd tried every possible resource he knew of and some he didn't. Anything to give him even the slightest lead on the Jokers location. But the man had dissappeared completely underground. The Joker hadn't even taken anything else out of the museum, anything that could have possibly given them a lead. He'd tried to focus on the boy that accompanied the Joker. But the young man was as much of a mystery as the Jokers own unknown origin. From what little he'd found out, his actions at the Gugenheimer were not his first appearance. He'd been seen with the Joker for the past month. Ever increasing in violence, dripping with the Jokers insanity. "Haven't
had any luck bats?" The man look like a bookish nerd at first sight, dressed in a wide sweater that was way to tight and loose pants that hid his legs, but Batman knew better. The clothes were a deception, making him look smaller than he truly was, the hair perpetuating a youth that was missing in his eyes. His moves were those of a cat, measured and precise. A predator and most definitely dangerous. "Who
are you?" The
man tilted his head, a gleam in those eyes. The caped crusader stared at the stranger, unsure what to believe. Was this one of the Jokers men? "Two
months ago a friend of mine came to Gotham. Nice kid, not all that
perfect, but over all a good man. Batman forced himself not to react to the casual way this stranger spoke about what was probably murder. No matter what the woman had done. "Then right after the fight he disappears without a trace. He was supposed to call me, he told me, he would after seeing her, but he didn't. I checked it out, he didn't even return to his motelroom to get his stuff back. Not a trace since." "But
he showed up again? Didn't he?" Batman
took a better look of the man, seeing the worry in his eyes. The
both of them stared, the intensity of it enough to set fire. ******* Richie looked at Joker, his lover took his arm and helped him to the bed, making him sit down. He looked up at the boy that was already on the bed, staring at them both in fear. He tried to give the kid a reassuring smile and rolled up his sleeve. When the syringe broke in, it gave a short prick before a dazed feeling started spreading from his arm upwards. He knew he was safe now, Joker would protect them. He laid back and listened to the words their master, their father whispered in his ears. Safetey, love, sanctuary, care... Richie closed his eyes, ignoring everything but Jokers presence, Jokers touch. His brother tried to move away, but the cure still kept him strongly in place and Richie knew that soon he'd realise how much Joker loved them. Soon he'd never want to leave. He smiled and touched the childs leg, touching him, letting him know he was accepted by all, not just by Joker. Joker
nodded at him to continue as his touch went up.
Batman stared at the stranger in the back of his car. Even blindfolded, he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to take this man to the Batcave. But with his information, he might just find a way to find Joker and through him Robin. He kept an iron grip on the steeringwheel and tried to concentrate on driving instead of whatever else that might happen. He'd blackened the windows of the car, making sure noone could see in or out but even that could possibly not be enough. Robin
shouldn't have been out there. What right did he have to take a child
in danger every night. He slammed
his hand on the steering wheel. The Batman snorted at the strangers words. "I've
tried protecting people, from others, from themselves, lately I thought
I'd given up on that. Then MacLeod comes into my life and all of a
sudden I'm back in full caring mode. It sucks. That nagging feeling
of guilt that you could have, should have been there, that anything
that happens to them shatters your heart. It's easier not to care."
****** His
leg was itching. It had been itching for several minutes now and the
fluffy material of the pajamas didn't really help. Finally, almost
desperately he tried to reach for it again. Surprisingly it worked.
He tried to sit up, but dizziness swept over him. In other words,
he could move but just barely. He'd
tried to keep track of time when the Joker and his pal had brought
him here, to check for a pattern for the drugs, to look for a moment,
any moment for him to get away. But most of the time he'd been so
dazed that even the idea of counting was too much for him. There
was someone in front of the door. ****** Batman
stared at the screen in front of him. Even with Adams help he wasn't
sure what to look for. He'd
called Alfred, asked him to look for information on the computers
in the batcave again. He missed Tim. ****** Richie
smiled as he held the child in his arms. Letting him sleep, knowing
he was safe. He only looked up when he heard the door and Joker came
in. The man was carrying a small case in his hands. The
boys eyes opened though and he looked at them in fear. Richie wanted
to console him, to tell him everything was going to be alright. But
the boy just used the opportunity to roll up and get away from them. The
boy fell on the ground trying to avoid the Jokers fists. He got a
kick in his chest for his trouble. Joker
pulled his belt out. It slapped first on the boys chest, flaying his
pajamas open to the skin. But Joker wouldn't want him to be reborn yet. Richie
blocked out the sounds, he didn't want to listen. It brought him back
to the bad place, when he'd been a bad boy, when Joker had to teach
him. Joker
caressed the childs wounds, leaving the boy to moan under his fingers.
Holding on to his little shaking body.
Chapter Five
Methos grabbed the handle. Holding tight as his driver raced through the city ravines. The hooded man was getting more and more desperate as every possible hide out was proven empty or having the wrong prey. This
far they'd busted five gangs, and still they'd gotten nowhere. Just like Kronos, always the guy who never learned to guard his key pieces until they were in jeopardy, poor pieces I could never resists capturing his queen. The
computer was running again, even while the man was driving. Methos
wondered if there were even a second that the man didn't think about
the case. Was there? "One
thing about this case doesn't make sense." The vigilante suddenly
said. "I
almost understand what a Parisian gradstudent like Adam Pierson would
be doing here. You mentioned it yourself. Richie is a ..." The
Bat hesitated for a second, as if unsure how to say it. "friend." "What
I don't understand ... "He turned around for a moment,changing
the subject, which only amused Methos even more."Is why Joker
would be interested in the likes of Ryan. He's a two bit nobody. Jokers
goons are usually of a harder calibre. It could be just his insane
sense of humor, perverting the innocent. But then there's the killing
thing... the whole revenge." "It's
none of your business." Methos tried. ***** Joker was grinning broadly. The family was having a family breakfast in the kitchen and even baby had been able to join them. He was of course sedated and locked to his chair. But then again babies had to be taken care of. Red was brushing babies hair, it had gotten all messed up last night. The boys face still had that nice red look to it. Ah how his boys would look after one another. He took a banana and peeled it. It went into a bowl, mixed with some of the happy drug he'd gotten from scarecrow. It would make his boys nice and suggestable. Making them listen to him. His sweet immortal boys, ready to live on in his legacy if anything ever happened to him. Soon he'd have a whole family. First Red, then Robin, then others they would find for him. He spoonfed baby. The boy looked for a second as if he'd resist, but then he opened up like daddie had asked. Ah how quickly his boys grew up. ****** The more time he spent with this mystery man, the more he felt ill at ease. His usual methods did nothing to make the guy talk. Who was he anyway? Could he even be trusted? His files said he was Adam Pierson, a British student who did his graduate work in Paris. Who had been doing that very same thing for over 15 years now. How was that possible? His files said he was a near genius, so why didn't he graduate years ago? Not
to mention the fact that he didn' look his age. Pierson
was looking at him with that certain gleam, winking at him, when the
man noticed he returned his stare. He gulped as he realized the man
was actually flirting with him. How did he deal with this mystery
man? Chapter Six Richie sat on his bed, watching the door and the Batman poster taped to it. He threw a knife at the image. Creating another slice in the wood without even giving it a second thought He threw a second, hitting the cape, but just as he callously threw a third, the door shot open. The knife ended up flying less than an inch past Jokers ear, taking a bit of his green hair with it. "Son?" the Joker asked deceivingly cordial. Richie gulped. "Yes sir." The Joker grabbed him by the throat, nearly choking him. Richie grabbed for the hands almost unconsciously trying to regain his air. "What the hell do you think you're doing you immortal punk." He hissed in the young mans ear. "I was bored." Richie managed to stutter. "Never ever throw knives at that door... not without putting up the darts board. Why do you think I gave that thing in the first place. It isn't to keep score you know. Children, no ideas how expensive a door can be." He still held on to Richie although his face now looked cheerful. Richie was grasping for air. His face was starting to turn blue. "That is so not your color." he let the boy go. Richie fell on the ground, breathing deep, trying to regain his breath and crawl up as the joker looked at the door. Richie couldn't say anything, he just nodded along with whatever the Joker said. "Now what do I hear about my boy being bored?" Richies face returned to his sulk, again remembering he was bored. "When are we doing something? I'm all cooped up inhere with no one to kill and I'm really getting tired of it." Joker grinned at Richies expression, Richie put his head in his hands and didn't care. He wanted to do something, anything. "You want to play outside?" Richie gave him a hopeful look. "I guess a healthy boy your age, needs some fresh air every now and again." Richie almost leaped up in joy at the permission. "But be home on time, you know the story of the girl turning in a pumpkin and getting eaten don't you?" Richie just grinned. ****** Methos followed the other man into the bar. Bats was wearing the kind of outfit that would have been retro ten years ago. Now it just looked ugly. Methos knew better than to believe the face he was looking at was the real thing. He stayed in the Bats shadow, following in his every footstep. "Hey Matches, who's the kid?" The crowd greeted them rather jovially, but looked at him with a hint of suspicion. "Just an old pal from Chicago. He's helping me out on a job." Methos returned their weary glances, until they grudgingly continued their conversations. Listening to it, he was starting to regret coming along, not that he'd ever admit that. He should have gone with the Bats plan and stay behind. It was not as if his presence here was doing any good. He ordered a beer and poured it down before ordering another one. They sat there for an hour, gaining nothing, when to make matters even worse, he started to feel an immortal presence ringing in his head. He was just recovering from the alcohol and kept his head down. Why let the other know who the immortal was, it wasn't as if he could just pick him out in the crowd. "Doc!" Methos turned his barstool around. Of all the rotten luck, he recognized that voice. "Cory." "Friend of yours?" Methos smiled at seeing the woman hanging on Corys arms. Another helpless female bedazzled by Cory's wits. Just great. "That's one way of putting it." he muttered before looking back at Cory. Cory put his arm around Methos shoulder, Methos tried to pull free, but the other immortal wouldn't let go of him. "The doc and I go ... waaay back." He dropped down to a chair next to Methos. "So doc, how's Byron." Methos knew it, he could have guessed that would have been this ones question. Oh god, he lowered his eyes. "Who got him?" the thief asked almost sadly. "MacLeod?" "Mac? Why? That's just such a waste..." The ancient knew he really did not want to think about Byron now. He turned back to the bat. Wondering how much he was going to regret this. "Malone meet Cory Raines, old friend, back from the old neighborhood." "Always glad to meet a friend of the docs here." Cory ordered them a set of drink, sharing a round with the house while inviting himself to sit with Methos and 'Malone'. "Glad to see you back in business doc. I thought you retired." "I did." "Too bad, damn shame for the whole field." he turned to the Bat. "The doc here is the damn best safecracker I've ever had the pleasure of working with." Methos sighed. Not that again. "Don't start." "You should have seen him back in London." ******* Batman could barely suppress his grin as Raines tales grew taller and taller, increasing in danger and momentum with every new part. Not to mention embarrassing the hell out of Pierson while entertaining the crowd. He recognized
Raines from his files. He grabbed hold of his curiosity and made use of the relaxed atmosphere that Raines created with his stories, to eavesdrop on some of the other conversations. Unfortunately none of them knew a thing about the Joker and if they did, they did not mention it. He was just about ready to make his exit when Raines fell still in the middle of a sentence. It was so short a moment that he could have missed it completely if not for the way both Raines and Pierson turned their heads to the door at the exact same time. A boy came in, he looked barely legal and way too young to buy beer, let out be in a bar this late. Everyone tensed up as he came in, heading straight up to the bar. Some wondering who the hell he was, others whispering questions to their neighbors, or answering them with a fear in their eyes. Batman almost expected the bartender to refuse him the beer, but weird enough the man poured one in and claimed it on the house. Worst of all the eight foot bear of a man was trembling like crazy. Someone in the crowd muttered something about being skipped, but his pal grabbed his arm and hissed something in his ear. The first one quickly pulled in his head after that and did his best not to even catch attention with a wrong breath. The
boys mad grin turned towards Pierson and Raines. At first Raines was
smiling, but then he caught sight of the madness in those young eyes. The boy emptied his glass and threw the pint up to the mirror behind the bar. "What
do you want Richie?" "What do you want?" A hiss, like that of a rattlesnake sounded in the question this time. "Why lover? I think your Quickening would be a good place to start. Now wouldn't it." The boy broke out in laughter, staring at Pierson's marble like face. "The look in your eyes," the boy started laughing again. "As if I'd ever want to damage that body of yours." The boy took his finger away from his mouth, moving it from Pierson's chin up to the other mans lips. Taunting him. The
two men faced of, Ryan did not even back of when Raines sided with
Pierson. Chapter Seven He could
still feel Richies touch He moved his tongue past his lips still wet
from the touch, retaining the sensation of the youths taste. "Methos?"
he disregarded Raines disbelieving and almost reverent tone. He could
not deal with it now. He still
could not believe what he'd just seen, Richie, what he had become,
what the Joker had done to him, turning him into a perverted image
of his former self. He closed his eyes, remembering what he'd been
told about the Jokers plans. Seeing them into action only made the
horror worse. Raines
grabbed him, forcing him to look at him, to pay him attention. Methos left the scene, Batman following behind him. ******** It tickled, it really really did. Tim started shaking uncontrollably, trying to avoid the feeling. But it kept following him mercilessly whichever way he turned. He faced the eyes of his tormentor, begging him to stop. His wet body slipping as it looked for a hold on. Tim had no idea how long he'd been here, in this place, in this house. All he knew was that he wanted it to stop. It was horrible, constant touching, constantly brushing against his naked flesh. But as the feather moved away from his body he also yearned for its strokes and almost begged for it to continue. He moved his head along with the towel as Joker dried his hair. The Joker sat behind him, he leaned against the mans chest, his legs pulled up to his chest, held in a tight grip. The towel felt soft against his skin and he rested in the older mans arms. Searching comfort in the caress and finding warmth in the embrace. "You
want to please daddy, don't you Junior?" Joker
pulled him closer ******* Richie called through the relay system. The phones owner was staring at him, sitting stock-still in the corner till Richie told him he could move. An apple on his head. Richie had told him that if the apple hit the ground, the deal was of. The man had shivered at that, knowing that if he didn't do what Joker wanted, Joker would kill his wife and children. They only lived at Jokers permission. The mans care for their welfare was strangely funny. Especially considering what Joker had often made him do in order to insure their safety. Richie
poured himself a lemonade and opened the knife-cabinet. It took
some time for Joker to respond and Richie was about ready to skin
the dog when the call finally came. By the
time Jokers car arrived to pick him up, his host was seven colors
of pale, a sobbing shaking wreck of a human being. Richie propped
the apple in his mouth, and finished him off by kissing him on the
forehead. Richie
hummed along with the tune coming from the car. He opened the door
and sat down next to his little brother who was tied up in the back
of the car. He was glad and proud to see the boy had become a good
boy so fast that he'd been allowed outside already. "Methos
is in town." He stated. "Joker,
please you have to listen. This man is dangerous. He's Methos." Chapter Eight
Methos looked up at the sky, the bat-symbol reflected on the clouds shadows. It waved along with the wind and he couldn't help but stare at it incredibly. Still not believing it was for real. Bats was getting ready to go after it. His muscles tensed, wound up, ready for battle. Methos looked at him and surprised himself. "I'm
coming with you." Batman returned his gaze, his stance growing stronger as they faced of. Methos knew the man was taking his measure, trying desperately to get a hold on him. Even now the man had no idea what he was dealing with. The
game was old, familiar. Trust, distrust. Maybe he should have insisted
on staying behind, then the man would have demanded him to come along. Batman was a warrior, not unlike MacLeod or Kronos in that respect. They all behaved as if battle was breeded into them. Their every step was proud like that of a lions. No ... like a panther. Soundless, fluid, dangerous. Good things in an allie, horrible in an enemy. Methos stood back, watching him Ready to follow him as he left. ***** Joker
stroked his fingers past the young mans face, holding the body in
his arms. ***** The commissioner was waiting for them. He stood in the shadows of his office. His face was pale, as if unsure of what to say. Batman approached him with a touch of softness in his moves. It was unfamiliar, yet expected. Like Kronos cradling Silas after one of the big mans pets died. Or when they had to kill one of the horses because it broke its leg. The
older man tried to say something, to force words out of his mouth
that seemed to be stuck in his throat. When he finally got them out,
the words were broken stuttered. The
cowled figure stared at it. Touching it as if it were covered in acid.
Methos couldn't see his eyes through the hood, but he recognized the
look. Batman stared at the tape, turning cold as ice, giving a nice
impression of going into a full brood. That's
when Gordon noticed him. Methos just grinned. Methos
looked at the Bat, the man seemed ready to leave, probably to that
cave of his again. the ancient immortal shuddered at the thought.
There was a reason he tended to avoid caves, especially the ones with
Bats inside of them. Besides, he thought, we don't have the time. Both
mortals stared at him. They probably thought he'd gone insane. Methos
turned away from the mortals. The
mortals just stood there, in full shock. ****** 'Iiiiittttsss
Joker time." The Joker announced in a loud stretching voice.
His face on the middle of the screen. Batman
took a mental step back from the images. Watching Piersons reactions
to them. The man seemed to just stand there, his face unreadable as
it had been from the first time they met. The
tape stopped at one gruesly instant as the camera pointed at Joker,
watching him hold the gun, aim it at Tim and then ... nothing. ****** "Who
are you?" The
Bat stared at him. As if wondering about him, unsure about what side
he was on. "You
use other names in public. Has it something to do with the way Raines
reacted to it? Are you afraid of reverence." "I
don't know who you are. Methos. I've faced demons, real gods, beings
with powers beyond comprehension. I met a man who was 800 years old." "So
that's your opinion? That I am either a delusional fraud or a demon?" "Do
you know what I think Bats?" Batman
became all held in anger. He was probably so used to holding in his
anger that he no longer even realized he was doing it. Batman
wanted to interrupt but Methos held up his hand. Batmans
lip was twitching, ready to give the other man an earful about the
whole thing. Batman
stood there, watching him. "But being the only one who gets the joke gets boring, so you want to share the fun. You want to know who I am boy? I am Death. " He turned
around at the man, beckoning him to follow. Joker
was positively happy. His boys at his side, his men at his command. He put his cake on the table. He sipped his finger in the frosting, tasting it for a second before he slowly placed the candles on top. Oh everything was so hunkadory. He pinched Reds butt as he went passed him, and rearranged Juniors tie. Everything was ready for their diner guests. The table was set, the men were waiting with big guns, bombs and whatever that would cause the right effect of destruction and mayhem and he was gippy. Every moment he wanted to jump up and kiss someone. He grabbed Juniors head and give him a loud smacker on the lips. The boy seemed so confused, beautifully dazed. Poor boy, when that terrible Batman would come his past life would fade away and soon the family would be safe for all time. After today, none of them had to be scared of anything ever again. He took a gun and placed it in Juniors hands. "Hold on for me will ya. Daddy's got things going on." The boy almost dropped it, but held it upwards instead. Joker pushed it away as it aimed at me. "Bats you brat. Not clowns. How can you go on a hunt when you don't even know who to shoot." Red was muttering something, Joker could vaguely hear something sounding like Eeny, meeny, mo ... That boy could never pick between a Kalishnikov or a machine gun. Both accessorized so nicely. Oh he could feel the sunshine in his heart. He broke out in clapping. The sound of his hands slapping broke over the silence in the room. ****** Batman
was brooding. Sure, some could call it deep thinking or shaded reflection,
but Methos didn't fool himself with semantics. To him it was brooding,
pure and simple. He moaned just looking at it. What was it with heroes
and brooding, almost as if you had to pass brooding one on one to
get an official hero-certificate. He stared at the hulking figure next to him once more. The tenseness in his shoulders, that gaze in those eyes, the way that cape flattered his figure. Alright already, there was something inherently sexy to the brood-thing, but come on. Enough was enough. All this 'thinking' was not helping the case. The dark mans hand clenched around the wheel. His mouth didn't move, his face a veritable marble surface. It fit really, the idea, the myth that the Bat was becoming, didn't need to show emotion, it was nothing more than that. It didn't need feelings, or concern. It was the threat that lurked and it was exactly what Joker wanted him to be. Because there was nothing attached to it. No human being who cared about anything other than the two of them and the things they could play with. It was a marble statue that represented something bigger than life. Maybe every fear that the Joker had ever had. And that fear could be faced, could be laughed with, ridiculed with. If Joker were faced with the man, he wouldn't have a clue what to do, because he wasn't ready for it. But that, even this man didn't understand. As Death, he had played with Kronos that way. He hadn't cared that Kronos was a man. He'd seen the image, the dark warrior, the protector. The things he feared in the eyes of one other man who might be strong enough to last. It had been interesting, it had been thrilling. And everyone surrounding Kronos had been nothing but playthings to mess with at his hearts content. When
the protector became his brother, protecting him, he'd bathed in the
dark aura, letting it take him over, guarding him. And after a while
Kronos had forgotten to be anything but what Methos had wanted him
to be. His protectiveness, became overbearing. His caring became an
obsession. That too had been thrilling at the start. But all too soon
he'd grown tired. Bored. He'd tried to find other playthings, but
the myth Kronos hadn't let him. He hadn't wanted to let him go, taking
away his favorite toys, destroying them at his leisure, thinking Methos
still liked it when he did that, showing his obsession that way. Sure, Batman was a mortal man, he didn't have the time, the chance to get as far and as bad as Kronos had. But for a mortal he was bad enough. For this man, a mortal lifetime might just be long enough to do whatever he wanted. Take whatever he wanted, become a fear not just to the darkness but to the light as well. And he didn't even know it. "So
Bats, what do you think. The
masked eyes turned to him. Big black holes of nothingness. Was there
really still life beneath them? ******* Up said
the daisy, up and gone. Fairies glittered before his eyes. So pretty, he couldn't grab them and push them and then they were flat and not pretty anymore and he dropped thme and flying
flies, all around. Daddy
juumped the maypole, waving with his wand. Fairies flying all around. Dead
bat. ***** Batman
stared down the gun at the eyes of his young student.
Methos lazily stepped up to the front door. His hand went to the door and he tapped it loudly. The wood almost croaked. "Joker dear boy, how can you possibly tollerate a place this dreary?" he whispered under his mouth. He tapped again, this time ringing the bell as well. If there was a trap on it, he'd survive. Might be nice to try electrocution as a way of death again. It was close enough to a Quickening. Though not quite. It didn't have that same panache. It's aftertaste was not as strong. He rang
the bell, and started tapping on the door. "Is
this where the party is?" "I
just love your ideas of home movies? Who's your director? You?" Methos kept jabbering, never allowing the Joker a word in as he went further into the lions den. A couple of goons stared at him, confused. Wondering what he was doing here. Joker had obviously not picked them for their intelligence. Methos seemed to ignore them as he grabbed a chair and made himself comfortable. He barely acknowledge Richies presence, giving him a quick hi. Ignoring Jokers behavior as he brushed past the boys hand. He never lost him out of his eye though. Watching the restless behavior, that calmed down only when the Joker touched him. 'Programmed.' Methos couldn't help but think. The ancient wondered how far the Joker had gone. He remembered young sweet Caspian. The boy had been screaming, praying to protect his sister and then to watch as Methos and Kronos took her while they forced the boy to watch. He remembered the boys eyes as he fried the woman over a fire. Hearing her begging for mercy as she burned to death. By the time he pushed her flesh through the boys throat, there had been a madness in the boys eyes. A madness that had never quite disappeared. "Nice
work with the boys. A good upbringing always shows" He pointed at the camera, showing a sight of gunmen, shooting at the Bat. "Well I guess the old fashioned ways are always good for a laugh. Joker was quickly reaching up to a tantrum. ****** How
dare that man! This
guy was honing in on his territory, he was the clown here and he practically
shouted out his claims on the title. Some of the thugs took a step
back, probably recognizing the look in his eyes. The thugs started shooting, but the stranger easily avoided them. His sword ready in one hand, his gun in another. Where did this guy get his toys? "Red." The boy attacked the stranger. Joker hoped that he got out alright. He'd have to get him out of jail later. For now it was best if he just got Junior and took them the hell out of here. This guy was one head short of the Looney bin. He whistled
at bit as he walked through the hallways of the abandoned TV-sets.
Things were exploding all around him. He could see the bat coming and smiled. Junior was still holding his gun. "Shoot him" he whispered in the boys ear. "He's going to hurt me." The boy stood in front of him, protecting him with that magnificent immortal body of his. A body that would never decline under the rapid torrents of age. The boy raised his gun, Joker could barely hold in his excitement as Junior stood in front of the Bat. This was going even better than planned. Batman screamed, trying to stop the boy, heroic as usual. A shot
was fired. He waited to see the Bat fall, hit right in between his
eyes. But it didn't happen. The man just grinned, his eyes hidden in shadows. Joker
crawled back. Joker crawled back even more, his back hitting the wall. "You just can't." He could
hear a loud gasp of breath, a shocked outcry of the Bat as Junior
woke up in the Bats arms. "You
know I'm insane, mister stranger. I'm not in control of my actions,
bad childhood and all that." A gun
was put against his temple. Joker barely heard the gunshot as the pain hit him and he fell in the pits of death. A smile of shock and surprise on his face.
Don't
ask for questions, you might not want them answered. It hurt having to deny that despair in his voice, he hated the cause of it, the reason. All that happened. He hated it almost as much as he hated the ending of it all. He could hear sirens playing in the background. The masked man let go of the boy for a second, giving him the chance to run up to the Jokers corpse. His eyes stood cold as the boy kneeled down next to Red, both of them shaking and sobbing only half aware of the rest of the world. Their reason for living lying dead against the wall. Red took the boy in his arms. His lips touching Tim's skin. Batman wanted to look away from it, as Tim didn't fight the touches, but gave in to it instead. He gulped heavily, trying to grasp what had happened, what he could do. He turned away and saw Methos silhouette in the shadows at the other side of the room. The reflections of the limited light in the room gave him a skull like outlook. Batman stared at him, only a single blink and the man was gone. Disappeared as if in smoke. Leaving him with the two boys, saddling him with the responsibility for both their wellbeing. Two
children, one a killer, a maniac, the other not yet. They
hugged even closer as they saw him watch them. The cop faced his gaze, then he eyed Montoya and the both of them helped him load the two boys in the batmobile. For a second the Batman thought he could see a small blue tattoo on Bullocks wrist, but he guessed he must have seen wrong. The two men nodded at eachother as Batman left. >From the shadows a dark figure kept watch over them. The neonlight created a blue daze over one half of his face, in the darkness his eyes were shadowed. "Soon
love. Soon." ~Fin~ |