Screams of pain echoed through the empty halls of Arkham Asylum-Joker's screams to be exact. The screaming started a couple minutes ago, and already had the other inmates desperately trying to plug their ears from the sound.
Joker was currently in his cell, laying on the ground, his legs spread wide apart. The arms of his straight jacket torn, leaving his arms free to move wherever they please-that is if Joker's hands (or arms) weren't currently clawing at the concrete ground of his cell, creating a screeching noise.
"MAKE IT STOP!" The clown wailed.
Teeth clenched, nails scraping against the ground, another loud scream of pain, and then-nothing.
Joker looked up but saw nothing, suddenly he felt something move, something moving uncomfortably just a ways away from his crotch. He looked down again and noticed that the straight jacket pants were still on, so that must mean-
Joker gently poked the crotch area through the pants to see something squirm. He gently rubbed the area to feel what seemed like a head. Just then 3 Flunkies rushed in checking to make sure Joker was ok. One of them found the strange round bulge that Joker found just a few seconds ago. The Flunkie got out a scalpel and gently cut a vertical line down the middle of the pants. Sure enough, a tiny bloody figure slid out of the pants and onto the ground, leaving a trail of blood.
All the Flunkies stared in awe at the tiny figure- a baby-a newborn.
"What the-"
"A baby?"
"Well, this is just great! They don't pay us enough for this," one of the Flunkies argued.
"I thought this kind of stuff only happens in hospitals! What next? Is Penguin going to lay an egg?!"
"Is it alive?"
"It's not moving."
The tiny infant stayed perfectly still, no movement. Some of the Flunkies thought it was stillborn. Even Joker looked up in concern. One of the Flunkies slowly poked the infant's chest and-
"WHAAAAAA!"
All the Flunkies jumped back.
"Yup, it's alive alright."
"Gees, that kid has some serious lung power."
"Note to self-don't poke a newborn baby."
Joker sighed in relief and laid his head back down.
The Flunkies wrapped the baby in a blanket and went to go clean the blood off of her.
After getting the blood off of the now sleeping soundly infant, the Flunkies made their way back to Joker's cell until they were stopped by Professor Hugo Strange.
"Good evening, gentleman." Hugo greeted.
"Good Evening, Professor Strange." All of the Flunkies greeted.
Hugo walked away until a little sound stopped him, more like a whimper.
Hugo turned around- "What was that?"
All of the Flunkies froze. "Uh-" one of them was trying to make an excuse. Cover up as they might, Hugo immediately saw the squirming pink blanket in one of the Flunkies arms.
Hugo raised an eyebrow and took a closer look at the creature in the pink blanket. He flipped the pink blanket back to reveal a baby with white skin and raven black hair.
"Whose child is this?" Hugo asked.
"Uh-" One of the Flunkies began.
"It's-"
"His?" One of the Flunkies pointed to Joker's cell.
Professor Strange turned his head towards Joker's cell and then back at the Flunkies. "Joker's daughter?"
"Yes."
"Whose the mother?" Hugo asked.
"Joker." All the Flunkies said at once without hesitation.
"I see, so Arkham's most insane patient has just become a parent. How interesting. It's a shame we don't have a nursery."
Meanwhile while Hugo Strange was talking with the Flunkies, Joker had grown tired of waiting for the Flunkies to return and was now listening in on their conversation by leaning his head against the door of his cell and listening.
Joker's POV: What's taking those Flunkies so long?! What's this about not having a nursery?
Back with the Flunkies...
"What do you mean she can't stay here?!" One of the Flunkies asked
"Arkham is an Asylum, not a nursery."
Joker's POV: Can't WHAT?!
"The Orphanage surely won't take her."
Joker's POV: The ORPHANAGE?!
"If no one will take her then-there's no other option but to do what we do with all of Arkham's unwanted patients."
Joker's POV: Unwanted?!
"Tomorrow I want one of you to inject the child with this."
Hugo Strange held up a doctor needle which doctors used to give shots or to inject something into the patients.
"What's that?" One of the Flunkies questioned.
"When injected into someone, this injection will kill the person leaving the person to die a peaceful and quick death."
BANG
BANG
BANG
Hugo Strange and the Flunkies all turned to the source of the loud banging sound- Joker's cell.
BANG
BANG
BANG
"NO!" Joker yelled, using his fists to bang on the door of his cell in rage.
Hugo had lost interest in Joker's little "tantrum" and was now whispering to the Flunkies to take Joker's now sleeping soundly infant daughter and find her a place to sleep for tonight. The Flunkies nodded and walked away with the newborn.
"NO-" Joker was still yelling, not knowing that Hugo and the Flunkies were long gone.
"YOU LEAVE HER ALONE! DONT YOU TOUCH HER! Don't-" Joker's knuckles were hurting, his voice cracked, breaking into sobs as his head slid down the cell door.
Joker got up and adjusted himself next to a wall, still crying softly as he buried his head in his arms. Through sobs and tears one word could be heard.
"Where's Batman when you need him?"
...
Day Time (Next Day)...
"..."
"Joker?"
"He's quiet."
Joker just stared down at the bowl of Macaroni And Cheese, playing with the spoon, spinning it around. Joker looked a mess, dark rings under his eyes, hair a mess- the poor guy looked like he has slept in days! Everyone noticed it.
All the inmates at the table were staring at him-concerned.
"What happened to him?"
"This is scary."
This was so unlike him! He was usually loud, menacing, sick-twisted sense of humor. Now he's quiet and-depressed.
Penguin waved his hand in front of Joker's face. Joker's eyes peered up at Penguin for a brief second, then peered back down, not even focusing on the bowl of Mac and Cheese- just staring into space. Joker sniffed, like someone would do if their nose was stuffed, wether it be from a cold, or in this case from crying.
Penguin turned to the other inmates and shook his head.
...
Days seemed to go by quicker in Arkham. Sometimes Joker forgot that It was even day time in Arkham, but now-the sky was a dark blood red- it was night.
Joker sat in his cell like always, still depressed about last night. Suddenly the door opened, Joker quickly looked up at the opened cell door to see one of the Flunkies walk in with a little bundle in his arms.
"10 minutes, Joker."
The Flunkie walked over to Joker and put the small bundle in his arms, which were forced into the cradling position by the Straightjacket. Joker looked shocked as the bundle was placed in his arms. By that time the Flunkie exited the room and closed the door.
Joker listened for the lock sound before turning his attention to the tiny newborn wrapped up in the blanket. She was perfect. She had pure white skin, a full head of raven black hair. She was sleeping, so her eye color was unknown for the time being.
Joker carefully put his crossed arms down, slowly tilting his arms making the sleeping newborn roll out of his arms and onto his crossed legs. Surprisingly, she didn't wake up; she just squirmed a bit before rolling herself over back on her back.
Joker quickly ripped the Straightjacket sleeves in two, so he could actually move his arms again. Joker carefully picked up his newborn daughter again, cradling her in his arms-she was so tiny!
Joker carefully slid his hand behind her head, wow! She really is tiny. Her head was practically the size of his hand-amazing that she's not premature.
"Mmmmm." The tiny newborn whimpered, squirming around, her tiny white fists tightening. She let out a little yawn, then slowly opened her eyes.
Joker stared, two sea blue orbs looking back at him. No doubt, those were Bruce's eyes.
Joker smiled, "Hi there."
The newborn reached her tiny arms out, grabbing ahold of Joker's fingers, tightening ahold of them with her tiny fists. She was stronger then she looked-
Batsy's strength.
She's adorable, why would anyone want to kill her? Joker started to tear up, holding the infant close.
Just then the cell door opened. The Flunkie walked in, towards Joker.
"Alright Joker-" The Flunkie held both his arms out. "Times up."
Joker looked up at the Flunkie, still holding his newborn close.
"Few more minutes."
The Flunkie didn't respond. He turned his head to the cell door being held open by another Flunkie. Hugo Strange stood outside the doorway, giving a small nod to the intern, before walking away.
The Flunkie turned back to Joker, and kneeled down. Joker's grip on the newborn tightened.
The Flunkie sighed. "Look Joker, don't make this difficult. I just wanna get home so I can sleep- I'm just following orders," the Flunkie said, with that same bored expression on his face.
Joker's eyes narrowed-the newborn squirmed a bit.
The Flunkie put both hands on the newborn's sides, trying to yank her out of Joker's grip.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! LET GO!"
The newborn started to whimper, not liking being fought over and having different hands tugging at different angles.
The newborn wailed. Joker gasped, thinking that him and the Flunkie accidentally harmed the baby.
Joker's eyes narrowed again, "I said-let-GO!" Still having hold of his daughter, Joker kicked the Flunkie making the worker let go of the still wailing newborn as he fell to the ground.
Joker glared at the fallen worker while he held his daughter close. She calmed down immediately once Joker pulled her close. The smell of the Arkham Straightjacket and being close to mommy soothed her. The baby's tiny white fists tightly grabbed the straightjacket.
The Flunkie got up, and the other workers charged in by his side.
One of the workers grabbed ahold of the newborn just like the other Flunkie, and started trying to pull her away from Joker.
Joker removed his hands, not wanting to accidentally harm his daughter. Two of the workers each held up Joker's arms, in case he decided to grab the infant at the last minute or fight. But the newborn was still tightly holding onto the straightjacket which the clown was wearing.
The Flunkie holding onto the newborn pulled. The newborn started to whimper, her white fists tightened. The Flunkie pulled again and again. The infant let out a cry which seemed to get louder and louder the more the Arkham Intern tried to yank the poor thing away from it's mother.
"Dude, be careful! She's not a toy," one of the intern's said.
The newborn continued to scream, refusing to let go of mama, her grip starting to slip.
Joker watched helplessly while his daughter clung to the straightjacket for dear life. Just a newborn and yet still so determined to live. It's torture listening to that heartbreaking cry. Joker noticed the baby's grip on the straightjacket was starting to give out. She'll be taken away, injected with a needle, put to sleep like an unwanted animal. She'll be dead, never get a chance to age, to walk, to talk, to-live.
Joker closed his eyes and looked away as the Flunkie successfully ripped the bawling infant off of the straightjacket. The baby reached out her tiny white hands, still wailing, wanting mommy to save her from these scary men that were taking her away.
Joker's eyes suddenly shot open. Joker broke out of the grip the two interns had on him, freeing his arms. Joker snatched his crying daughter from the Flunkie's hands for one last goodbye.
Now holding his daughter one last time, Joker kicked the Flunkie right in front of him who was once holding his daughter.
The baby stopped crying, eyes now closed but not asleep. Joker looked down at her and smiled, running his fingers through her short black hair.
Joker sniffed, starting to tear up, looking at his daughter, then looking up at the open cell door. The Flunkies that were once knocked out were starting to come through. The Flunkie that had been kicked sat up, more workers were in the doorway.
Joker looked back down at the peaceful newborn, fully aware of the Flunkie right in front of him with his hands open.
"Don't fight us Joker. Don't make this as hard as it already is."
Joker didn't respond to him-just focused on the infant in his hands.
Joker kissed the infant's tiny forehead. "I love you," Joker whispered.
"Hey dude, did you even hear what I said?" The Arkham intern said.
"Goodbye Gotham." Joker placed Gotham in the Flunkie's hands. Gotham let out a whimper, being held in the Flunkie's hands, which turned into a screeching wail once the Flunkie started walking out the door.
Joker watched as the Flunkie got up with Gotham in his arms and walked out the door, closing the cell door on the way out, all the while that innocent cry for help getting fainter and fainter until it was no longer heard.
Joker stayed in his place, facing the cell door, lost in his own thoughts.
Don't cry...
Joker blinked.
Don't cry.
Joker's arms shook.
Don't cry.
Joker turned around, facing the orange wall.
Don't-
Joker let out a yell, banging his head against the wall, a small tear ran down his face. Joker banged his fist on the wall in anger, accidentally making one of the orange squares on the wall fall, landing on Joker.
Joker let out a yelp, quickly using his hands to shield his head from anymore harm. Joker threw the big orange square off of him and tossed it to the side. he looked up at where the square fell- Joker froze.
A little hidden storage place filled with all of Joker's little toys. The placed hadn't been used in years. The last time he used it was to store makeup supples for Nolan, an orderly at Arkham that Joker once made him dress up like him to send Batman on a wild goose chase to distract him from Joker's real plan! Good times.
Joker looked at the square opening, then at the cell door behind him, then back at the hidden storage area again.
Maybe it's not too late.
"I can still save her!" Joker quickly slipped out of the straightjacket and pants, and changed into his usual orange short sleeve button up shirt, purple tailcoat jacket, black fingerless gloves and black yoga pants.
Joker paused when he got to the weapons, putting a finger on his chin, thinking. All of his weapons were there. So many choices, so little time. Joker turned to a pile of dark red and dark purple plain cards, one of his main weapons- surprisingly sharp-a good replacement for a knife. He once managed to leave a small cut on Batsy, cutting through the batsuit and leaving a cut through the skin. It wasn't bleeding too bad, but enough to make him jump back.
Joker turned his attention to another weapon! Ohhhh, the Joker Gas was a classic!- leaving his victims with a horrible Joker grin on their faces, unable to move or talk. It didn't kill them-most of the time. It would just leave them in a coma, at least until The Batman cured them. He's entertaining but he always ruins Joker's fun.
Hey! It's that boxing glove-gun, thingy. Yeah, not even Joker came up with a proper name for it yet. but it knocks his victims out-that's the only thing that matters.
"I have more then two pockets in this coat anyways." Joker took them all.
Luckily that Joker has a spare key to the cell door. How he got it should be pretty obvious.
Joker unlocked his cell door, the eerie creaking of the door slowly opening was heard. Once the door was wide open, Joker ran out.
...
Joker ran through the long hallway of the asylum. How many floors does this place have anyways?
Suddenly the oh so familiar sound of an alarm went off, alerting alllll the Flunkies.
Sure enough, an army of Arkham interns blocked his path, some holding a club, some holding a taser.
"You're not going anywhere clown!"
Joker grinned. This is gonna be fun.
Couple seconds later...
Joker stood up, dusting himself off, looking back at the now fallen interns, all with that terrifying Joker grin on their faces.
"Well that didn't take to lon-" Joker turned around only to bump into a really-Big-nurse!
Joker looked up, eyes wide. "You're big." The nurse frowned, not looking at all pleased. It didn't even look like a female! She had a very buff body, very hairy arms, even had some hair on her chin, her eyes were narrowed, looking down at Joker. Her hair was ginger, in a small bun, a little nurse cap sat on top of her hair. Joker looked at her hands-she clutched a doctor's needle in her hand.
The nurse grabbed Joker by the shirt, lifting him up to her face. Even when absolutely terrified Joker still joked around.
"And here I thought the school nurse from High School was scary, but you mi-" Joker paused. "Sir, YOU take it to a whole new level."
The nurse got in Joker's face. Joker let out a squeak. The nurse spoke-it was a slow, low almost demonic sounding.
"Go-BACK to your cell."
Joker would have melted to the ground if he didn't still have his Joker Gas in his hand.
"NOPE!" Joker sprayed the Joker Gas In the nurse's face, making her cough and drop Joker, covering her face. Joker watched with a grin on his face as the nurse's coughing turned into laughter. The laughter soon stopped, and the nurse removed her hands from her face, revealing the Joker grin on her face. She stood stiff.
Joker walked over and poked her, making her fall to the floor.
"Now-where was I?"
...
Joker stood in front of a metal door with two crossbones and a skull on it. Joker entered the room, closing the door behind him.
The room was different from the rest of the Asylum, as if it were a whole new building. The walls and floor were white. It had a very hospital feel to it. There was a big rectangular window connecting to the walls all around you. The room was very small. There was a grey metal table in the middle of the room, with one of those light things you also see in hospitals, above it. The table had restraints on it. The table itself looked adult sized, meaning the straps clearly couldn't hold a child or an infant down.
Joker walk by the table, observing it more. There was a tiny little syringe laying on the table. The kind of syringes doctors use to give shots or injections. Joker picked the syringe up. It's been used-and it's empty.
That means she's-
Joker shook his head, no-it can't be too late-not yet.
Joker turned to the left, another door! Only this door wasn't something to be excited over. It was the room where they store all the dead inmates.
Joker opened the door, not bothering to close it this time. Joker looked around the room, tables upon tables of covered up corpses of dead inmates. Joker would have been disturbed if he wasn't used to stuff like this. After all, half of those dead bodies probably have a Joker Grin on their faces, or when Joker's in a bad mood-a slit throat. Either that or one of the other disturbed inmates killed them, or of course-getting executed. Granted being put to sleep wasn't as bad as say-the good ol electric chair. But still! Who would want to willingly die- especially at Arkham of all places!
So far so good, no sign of a dea-
Joker stopped and looked back at a table in the middle. This one didn't have a plastic blanket covering up the body like the rest. The table was bare. Laying on it was a tiny bundled up grey blanket.
"No." Joker rushed towards the table, carefully picking up the grey bundle.
"No, no, no, no."
The face was covered. Joker moved his hand to pull the blanket back, his hand shaking as he grabbed a hold of the blanket, slowly about to pull it back.
Joker quickly put the blanket back into place, looking away, too heartbroken to see the face.
Joker slowly slid down, still holding the grey bundle.
Joker was sitting down, holding the grey bundle close, as if it were still alive.
Joker cried, still tightly holding the bundle, rocking back and forth.
Gotham City...
It was a rainy night in Gotham City, thunder could be heard here and there.
A police van was driving, three Arkham interns were in it. One behind the wheel, the other holding a bassinet, with a sleeping infant inside. The other just along for the ride.
"Are you sure we should be doing this? We could get in big trouble!"
"As far as Professor Strange is concerned, she's already dead."
"But you heard him, no one will take her if they knew she was Joker's daughter."
"So? What if they DON'T know she's Joker's. I'm sure there's still SOME people who don't know who Joker is. We'll just leave her on the doorstep of Gotham Orphanage."
"But what if-"
"Look, I'm not going to just inject a newborn with a needle and kill her. We're just normal people who work at Arkham Asylum, we're not murderers."
The van stopped in front of the giant Orphanage building. The van door opened, and the Flunkie jumped out, still holding the bassinet.
The drops of rain dripped onto the sleeping baby, making her squirm.
The Flunkie put the bassinet down on the doorstep of the Orphanage, putting a little note in the bassinet with Gotham, so they'll know her name. The Flunkie then ran back to the van and drove off.
Despite the drops of rain refusing to leave the sleeping infant alone, she didn't fuss much. It wasn't until a loud boom of thunder was heard that startled the poor baby making her scream.
The door suddenly opened, making Gotham stop wailing. The lady looked around before taking notice of the bassinet on the ground. The lady picked up the note first, the only thing on it was "Gotham." The lady looked at the note again and then looked at the baby. The lady smiled warmly and tucked the note in her shirt, picking up the bassinet and going into the building, shutting the door behind her with her foot.