This story is related to my other story "all world's a stage", would be good if you read it, will make it easier to understand this, but is not completely necessary. I use narration from that story and they complement each other.

Disclaimer: these charachter are not mine, they belong to DC. allie/jeannie/hearts does belong to me.

Hello. I'm Female Narrator.

We had a meeting regarding this particular issue, and we decided that you simply wouldn't understand the Joke if you only see the finished product. (That would be the Joker and Queen of Hearts)

I have to agree with Male Narrator, they don't love each other (well, not anymore and not as before). They simply find each other amusing, a good toy, maybe good company. That's all. A simple competition.

There was a time before the Joker, before Harley Quinn, Scarecrow and Queen of Hearts. Before Batman.

No criminals masterminds, no murdering clowns, no vigilantes, no sadist manipulators, no mad scientists, or delusional girls trying to be loved by a man without a heart.

No symbols.

Just people. Normal people living their seemingly normal lives.

I wont re-tell Batman's story because it has already been told ...Batman Begins rings a bell?

But we never told you about him. What can make a normal man want to burn down to ashes a complete city?

Madness is not a good reason. Let me inform you there are a lot of severe mental diseases and thousands of people suffering or making others suffer for it. But most of them are not terrorists. And their mental diseases are not the ones you see related to a terrorist that often. And yet...they are terrorists.

They may suffer from mental diseases... but not ones that makes them delusional. Mad. They are not mad. They know exactly what they're doing and why.

Well, at least two of them.

Madness...The Joker is not mad...he simply needs everybody to understand the Joke...the biggest Joke ever made to humankind, that cruel Joke that destroyed his former life. He knows it. He understands it. He just wants to show it. So does she.

But let's talk about him, shall we? After all..you are certainly more interested in him.

Why are you reading this, by the way? Because you saw a film? Maybe comics, animated series? Just the Wikipedia? Have you ever wondered if they're not only that, simple characters? because it's not just a film...he's not just a character, any of them are just characters...they are real. Real somewhere else, somewhere you'll never put a toe in...you can only witness some figments of their reality represented by actors from this particular reality.

He's aware he's being watched...that's why he makes a good shows: because you were watching a film in 2008. he sensed something while you watched the film, your eyes attached to the screen, following his every movement...he couldn't place his purple gloved finger what was it exactly but he was aware that he had an audience.

Here, in this world, Heath Ledger played his role. the worlds "ok" "good" "fine" simply don't cover how good was his portrayal. I don't think "outstanding" and "excellent" would really cover it neither. I lost my voice when I saw it for the first time.

After seeing that film, both Me and Male Narrator just ran to our Boss, asking him how was that possible. Had Heath Ledger communicated with the real Joker? Had the Joker just contacted him for him to portray him perfectly, had he discovered that for this world he was a character?

We were dumbfounded.

The Boss simply said "No, Heath Ledger was simply a wonderful actor...a true genius, a true artist" we didn't need any more information. Heath ledger was a terrific actor. And that's a huge compliment coming from us. We're watching over the bigger liars (or actors, if you want) there are in this universe...or any other.

Sad as it is, Heath didn't get to enjoy the final product of all his efforts portraying a the supposed madman. Such a pity, we felt awful when it happened. But it happened and there's nothing we can do about it. We're omniscient...but not omnipotent. We only go around seeing how everything works, having the ability to re-tell some events, get into people's minds, turn to the past...but we cant change what's already happened or stop what's happening. Hence our names: Narrators.

So the first thing I have to make crystal clear: The Joker and Heath Ledger are not by any means the same person. They don't even look alike! although I have to admit make-up artists did a wonderful job.

By the way...

Have you ever wondered if you are someone's else character? Some figment of someone's else imagination? Hmm? that would make your life a little less real... and the crowds full of unknown faces and names who don't ring a bell are just extras in this film called your life..What would you do in that case? would you really care if I tell you that those people don't have souls, that they don't exist, they are there just to fill a gap?

Well...everybody chooses a different path. Some try to ignore that and succeed. Some others just lower their heads and let the Writer do as he please.

The Joker's not that kind of people. He rebelled. Completely.

You know...this wasn't supposed to be this way. There wasn't supposed to be a Joker...

Destiny, the main writer of everyone's lives, films, books, comics or whatever you want to see your life, had decided for Jack Napier to live a peacefull but highly sad life.

But Destiny has competition: Chaos. She is simply much more imaginative and a true force of nature...She created the Joker, it wasnt on porpuse...Destiny was mad at her regarding Jack Napier, who was supposed to be one of the saddest stories ever writen.

He was supposed to marry Alicia J Narvaez. You may know her as Jeannie. He only called her that to annoy her, knowing well how much she hated her middle name. Normally, he called her Allie. She would get pregnant...and then she was supposed to die. Allie was not some normal housewife...she hid things from him. And he hid things from her. They were ashamed of the true nature of their incomes and pasts. After her death she would let him an bank account which numbers had several zeros, enough to live the rest of his life without financial problems. After her death, he was supposed to mourn her until the end of his life, not daring to touch any other woman, living among old boxes full of her beloved's dresses, feeling pity for himself. He would only go out from the small apartment they lived their short matrimony to buy food, pay the bills and leave some flowers in her tomb every Sunday...

Until one day, after three years, his depression would drown the little will to live he had left, and he would put a gun against his forehead and pull the trigger, hoping with desperation some deidity would have some mercy of his poor soul and take him by her side.

But then, when everything was supposed to end for Jack Napier, Chaos stepped in.

That sunny morning he bought the gun he was going to use to kill himself.

He sat in his computer, in her computer, going though old photos, as every morning, so he would never forget the face of the only person that had made him truly happy. And there he was, watching one of the last photos they had taken together. Before everything went to hell and his face ended up deformed with a glasgow smile; irony and mockery of Destiny. He placed the gun fully loaded in his forehead, ready to end his life...

Suddenly, a window opened on the computer screen, making a plop sound out of the small speakers. He lifted his head and read in the monitor:

Allie says:
Jack don't do it, I'm watching you, put that gun down!
Allie says:
Jack, please don't kill yourself.
Allie says:
Don't leave me alone again.
Allie says:
Put it down, NOW!

Allie is writing a message... please wait.

He dropped the gun, confused. He rebelled. He would never be be the same again. In that very moment...the Joker was born.

And everything had started a few years ago, with one simple question:

-Hi, do you happen to have a lighter? Mine doesn't work anymore...


For those who are reading my other story, would you like me to keep writing this one?

For those who didnt read the other story, would you like to read it and give me your opinions abut it? :P

I hope to read your opinions, I really apreciatte feedback!

Nezzie