Bonnie Beckett and her three brothers were homeless orphans. They had lived on the street for a couple of years, enough to learn one key rule.
Take whatever you can get.
Thievery, pickpocketing, mugging; if you can get away with it, do it.
There have been several times were Bonnie had to pickpocket herself, even if her older brothers weren't quite happy with the decision. It was the most logical choice. A shy, little, twelve year old girl with large innocent eyes would be the most unlikely suspect for such a crime.
They made some money from mugging too, but her brothers didn't allow her to be anywhere near when they did. They would usually tell her to wait in a well-populated shop nearby instead.
Bonnie understood. She knew they had to do the things they did, even if they were bad things, to survive. They had to look after their own because no one else would. Gotham was not a safe place, but it was safer when the four siblings stuck together.
Incidentally, their parents had died from a mugging. It was sad but not uncommon for Gotham. Bonnie wasn't supposed to know how they died, being twelve and all, but she had overheard her brothers talk about it in whispers. She had promptly announced that she needed the loo and burst into snot-soaked tears once she had locked the public stall. After her bout of crying, she washed away the tears with tap water and went on with her life. They hadn't wanted her to find out the secret, and still thought she hadn't.
Noah was the second oldest of the siblings, and he was Bonnie's favourite. He was tall, gangly, and had dark, wavy hair that went up to his chin. He didn't talk as much as he used to when their parents were still alive. Bonnie would describe Noah as a gentle giant. He gave her hugs when she was upset and still carried Bonnie in a piggyback when she asked. Noah was and would always be a follower, and he was okay with that.
Her third oldest brother was bit more unique. His name was Michael and he had a bowl cut. Bonnie thought it was hideous, Michael thought the cringe-inducing wreck of a haircut looked great. And he definitely wasn't afraid to show it off either. Michael was definitely the chubbiest of all four siblings with a large belly that she liked to poke (and when she said poke, she meant skewer her finger deep into his gut),
when he was not paying attention. He was also very smart, but was ultimately a follower like Noah.
Bonnie considered her at least mildly pretty, with her nice, soft hair tied into pigtails. She would like to consider herself clever, or at least having the power of common sense. Bonnie was a shy girl, she didn't like loud strangers or people who were nosy. She was also a coward. She would keep quiet when she disagreed with something and would sweat furiously when she thought she got caught for pickpocketing. It was the one thing that she considered to be her fatal flaw but it wasn't like she could so anything to change it. It was who she was.
Bonnie's oldest brother, Davis, was not gifted with a sharp mind, but did have a strong, stocky body. He had a bright, handsome smile, and, strangely enough, a moderately sized ball of charisma.
That was how he usually got people to follow his usually dumb plans. Like the one he was suggesting now. It basically went something like this.
"I got us a job, Bonnie can come too."
"Okay, what is it?"
"It's dangerous and we will most likely die because of it."
"But, what is it?"
"We're going to work for the Joker!" He flashed a smile.
"You mean the deranged maniac who kills people?"
"Yes! Him! This is a great idea."
"No, it's not."
"We are poor." There was also some inspiring speech about family and how we could do it if we stuck together but by that point, Bonnie was already frozen with shock.
"You're right, we'll do it."
"Great! I knew you'd understand!"
It didn't go exactly like that but Bonnie liked to simplify things.
'You damned fool!' Bonnie had wanted to scream, her head boiling. 'You'll get us all killed!"
But in the end, she didn't say a word. Because Bonnie Beckett was a coward.
As night fell in Gotham, the streets became seedier and seedier.
Bonnie and her brothers settled down in an dark, dirty alleyway that not many people went through. Their alleyway.
The siblings huddled together for warmth, little Bonnie and Michael rooted in the centre. They used torn newspapers as a mattress and blanket. Their clothes didn't protect them that well from the biting cold of Gotham at night, but it was okay. They were okay as long as they were together.
Davis and Michael were already long gone in slumber, snoring softly. Noah was beginning to nod off as well. That was when Bonnie stuck her head under Noah's chin, snuggling into the opening of his jacket.
"Hey!" She whispered.
"Nhhhh?" He replied softly, eyes drooping slowly.
"Do you think this job is a good idea? I'm worried…"
"Nhhhh," he replied sleepily.
Noah gently patted Bonnie's hair in a comforting gesture. She knew that meant he was telling her that everything would be alright.
He draped his arm around her shoulder.
"Mh Hnnn," he grunted goodnight.
Then Noah drifted off to sleep.
But Bonnie was still wide awake.
Her mind raced, thinking of all the terrible, probable events in her future. Anything could happen! Joker was a madman! How on Earth did Davis even come across this damn job opportunity?
From what Bonnie knew, none of her brothers had meddled in crimes larger than mugging! Bonnie found herself dreading the next morning, and drowsily blinked into sleep as the night began for criminals in Gotham.