Chapter 1: Clown Princess of Mayhem
Bang. BANG. BANG! The gunshots sounded closer each time.
Damn it, how did they find me so fast? I thought. Forget that, it doesn't matter, I've done my job. Now I just have to get out quickly, and leave a bang of my own. I grinned to myself, I liked making things go 'bang'. I reached into my utility belt and pulled out a couple of components. I stood up and put my hands behind my back, quickly assembling a mini gas bomb. I've assembled them so many times, and so many different ways, I could do it in my sleep and make it out of jelly and a spoon. I smiled big at the guards that were chasing me.
"Well, you are a bunch of idiots," I said, still smiling, "You let me get into the PRESIDENT'S room!" I threw my head back and laughed like my mentor Joker taught me, it was supposed to creep people out, and it deffinatly worked on these pathetic excuses for guards. I spun around and began to run down a hallway, my black skirt flouncing with every step I took, my purple and green pig tails whipping behind me. I knew I looked like a maniac, and that was the idea.
"Ha, we have her cornered! That's a dead end!" I heard the guards yell. I chuckled and rolled my eyes. I got to the wall, and placed the bomb I had quickly put together in the centre of the wall. I took a few steps back. The bomb went off, creating a hole in the wall and releasing a gas. I stood with my back to the hole and faced the guards. I laughed as I watched them keel over on the floor, laughing hysterically. I wasn't affected, simply because I was immune to the Joker Venom.
It won't be long until the suffocate I thought I can't let them die. But why should I show them any mercy? Maybe I should let them live to tell the tale of the night they were beaten by a little girl. I reached into my utility belt and pulled out a small cylinder device. I pressed the button on the top and watched as all the gas seeped into it. There, they won't die; they will just be in a coma for a couple of weeks.
I climbed nimbly out the hole in the wall and up the outside of the building towards the roof. I heard police sirens in the distance and as I looked up to the sky, I saw the Bat Symbol light up the night sky. I mentally groaned. I hurried up the building and stood on the roof, feeling the wind whip around me. I smiled, before laughing as I heard someone almost silently land behind me. I carefully analysed what I knew of the person behind me. Not the Batman, I didn't hear his 'cape' whip around him, too heavy to be Robin or Batgirl, so it must be Nightwing because no one else would land that quietly. This took half a second. I began to speak as I turned around.
"What, am I not special enough to get the bats himself?" I looked at the young man in black, with a blue bird symbol on his chest. He's kinda cute, I thought. He was taller than me, probably about 5'10", black unkempt hair hung over his eyes, which were completely white behind his black mask. He was muscled and he looked very graceful as he walked towards me. He smirked at me.
"Not unless you're the Joker himself" he said. I smirked back.
I stuck my tongue out at him as I heard a helicopter above us. A rope came out of the door. I grabbed it, and clipped it to my belt.
"Sorry Mini Bats, but my ride's here," I said as I dangled below the helicopter as it flew off. I heard the Joker laugh above me as he threw a gas bomb at Nightwing, slowing him down enough that he couldn't get us. I climbed into the helicopter and sat face to face with my mentor.
"Did ya do it?" he asked excitedly. I grinned at him, and rolled my eyes.
"How dare you insinuate that I can't do everything you ask?" I folded my arms in front of me as I leaned back into my seat. He chuckled.
"I have you know, I never doubted you, just excited to hear how you did it," He said, leaning forward, his eccentric green eyes meeting my calm golden ones. He always told me that my insanity should reflect in my eyes, but for some reason, it never did, my eyes were always calm and, well, innocent looking. Joker came to accept that, but also loved it. He said I was so crazy that my eyes couldn't show it all, so they stayed normal (or about as normal as golden eyes are).
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. I looked intently into the Jokers eyes, an evil grin on my face.
"I simply snuck through all the guards and alarms and lasers, placed two drops in the president's mouth, and walked out." I said, keeping it simple.
"Two drops?" he asked. I nodded.
"Two drops" I confirmed.
"No more?" he replied
"No less," I answered. He chuckled lightly. Just then the helicopter shook. I looked out the window.
"Well Mister J. It looks like Mini Bats called Daddy Bats." I said grinning over my shoulder at the Joker. He laughed ecstatically. I strapped myself in as the pilot maneuverer around buildings, getting dangerously close to every single one. I laughed hysterically as I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins. I would be the first to admit I was an adrenaline junky. I loved the thrill it gave me. As my life flashed before my eyes, I remembered the first time I got a hit of adrenaline. I must have been about 5 years old.
"Mummy, can I pretty please go on the roller coaster?" I looked up to mum with big eyes. She sighed.
"Mummy, this is the first time we have been here and we don't have enough money to come again, so PLEASE?" I begged. She sighed again.
"Fine, but you have to go alone; I'm not coming with you." I nodded, happy to be going on a big kids ride. I remember nothing of the ride, nothing but the pounding of my heart, beating so fast and hard, I could see it in my eyes. My whole body felt alive and happy for the first time ever. I jumped off with a big grin on my face and immediately went to the next one, going from the little ones to the big ones, laughing the whole time while the adults were screaming and begging to get off. I didn't want to get off; I never wanted it to stop. I didn't stop until mummy made me go home. That night I snuck out and jumped the fence to the amusement park, and went on the scary rides with all the big kids.
"She's quite the adrenaline junky isn't she?" one of the boys said. I grinned at him.
"Do you want a real thrill?" He asked, leaning down so he was at my height. I nodded vigorously at him, my eyes wide.
"Meet us at the alleyway next to the jewellery store just up the road at 10pm tomorrow night, kay?" he said. I laughed and clapped my hands as I nodded. I knew that I shouldn't go to alleyways at night, but if I got more of the feeling of being invincible, I was willing to do anything.
"Oh, don't tell anyone ok?" I grinned at the big kid and pretended to zip my lips shut. He patted my head.
"That's a good girl."
That night, we robbed the Jewellery store, I stole a big diamond. And ever since then, I became part of that crew; a crew that became famous, one that the Joker came too to get things done, and the one from which Joker picked his protégé.
I was pulled from the memory as the Joker leaned over me and began to speak.
"Want to jump?" He asked. I grinned in response. I unbuckled myself and stood at the open door. I felt my face spread into a huge grin as I felt the wind whip through my pony tails; I spread my arms and free fell out of the helicopter, Joker just behind me. I angled myself to the gap between the buildings to the busy street below it. Extending my arm, I fired a grappling line at the top of a building as I fell past it. It caught and began to gradually slow me down before I dropped to the ground. I landed on my feet and smiled at the crowd just staring at us. Joker laughed.
"Hi all, just your friendly neighbourhood Clown Prince of Crime here and his darling little Clown Princess of Mayhem," I curtsied to the awestruck crowd.
"And now that you have seen our death defying stunts, watch us do another one." I announced, "Watch us disappear, reappear, defeat your beloved dark knight, and disappear!" Joker chuckled at my statement.
"You know, you are getting rather good at this." He said to me, a proud smile on his face. I curtsied again.
"I am the Clown Princess of Mayhem," I said as I threw a smoke bomb at the ground allowing Joker and I to disappear to the side street. We watched as Batman and Nightwing appeared in the crowd, looking around for us. I felt Joker lean close to me and I felt his lips touch my ear, and I supressed a shiver of disgust.
"I got the Knight," he whispered.
"Good, Mini Bats is mine" I whispered back as I took a step away from him. Pulling a tiny dart gun from my utility belt, I blew a dart at Nightwing's face, lucky for him, he turned before the dart reached him otherwise he would be on the floor laughing. I walked out of the alleyway with a knife in both of my hands. He spotted me coming and pulled out his eskrima sticks from the holster on his right leg. I stood in front of him.
"Oh did Mini Bats have to call for his Daddy Bats?" I said, pouting slightly.
"You know, I don't think we have officially met," he said, completely ignoring my last statement. I tipped my head on the side and lightly scratched my temple with a knife as I pretended to think.
"No it seems we haven't," I said. Holding both knives in my left hand, I stuck out my right hand to shake Nightwing's.
"I'm Razi, the Clown Princess of Mayhem, Joker's protégé." I said. He raised an eyebrow at me, but didn't shake my hand. "And you're Mini Bats, sidekick to Daddy Bats," I finished.
"It's Nightwing, and I'm not Batman's sidekick." He countered. I smirked.
"Touchy subject huh?" He stared at me, not giving anything away. I shrugged. "Ok, Mini Bats, I mean, Nightwing, let me tell you how this is going to go. I'm gonna kick your butt, you're then gonna bow in front of me and kiss my feet and ask for forgiveness from the Clown Princess. Sound good?" I grinned at him, waiting for a response.
"Yeah, that doesn't work for me." He said. I shrugged.
"Oh well, more fun for me." I grinned evilly and began to attack.
I kicked at his head; he grabbed my leg and pulled me off balance towards him. Using the momentum, I swung my other leg up onto his shoulders and around his neck. He let go of my leg to grab the one that was around his neck. I wrapped my free leg around his arms and held one of my knives to his throat, my cheek pressed against his ear, a few inches above my knee. He jerked his shoulder, banging my chin against my knee. I saw stars and loosened my grip slightly. He took the opportunity and flipped me over his head I landed in a crouch, with my back to him. I spun with my leg outstretched, aiming for his legs. He jumped over my foot, but at the same time I stood up right where he was landing. I punched him in the jaw as he came down, the force of the punch and gravity pulling him down almost knocked him out. I raised an arm to throw my knife at him, but a birdarang flew out of nowhere and knocked it out of my hand. I turned in the direction it had come from.
In front of me stood a kid in a red suit with a yellow R on his chest; a black cape similar to Batman's but yellow on the inside, he had black gloves and boots, a black domino mask over his eyes, a large fighting staff. I tilted my head and obviously studied him. I grinned.
"Please tell me that your staff is electrically charged, it will make this much more fun." I said. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nightwing slowly pull himself off the ground into a crouch.
"Why don't you come here and find out?" He said, attempting to distract me. He was clear that he was new at the hero thing. His eyes flickered briefly over my shoulder, indicating someone was there but he didn't want me to know. I saw Batman still fighting Joker, so it could only be …
"Hello Batgirl! Long-time no see!" I said turning around and smiling brightly.
"Razi, I would say what a pleasure, but it's not, so I won't say anything." She replied her steely gaze met mine. I smiled wider.
"Batgirl, you know her?" Robin sounded surprised. I looked over my shoulder at him and laughed.
"Oh we go way back." I said, "Good times," I pretended to be thinking of all the fun we used to have, like we used to be the best of friends. I saw Nightwing out of the corner of my eye raise an arm to throw something. I swiftly reached into my pocket and pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it at my feet.
Unfortunately for me, they were used to that trick, they did it themselves. I ran into a side street, nimbly weaving my way around bins and drunken people passed out in the alleyway. Jumping up a fire escape, I looked back and saw Robin running behind me; Batgirl was on the roof behind me which meant that up to top of this fire escape, Nightwing would probably be waiting for me. I shrugged and continued up the fire escape. As I reached the top, I grabbed the edge of the roof, swung myself up and flipped in the air, onto the roof, but as far away from the edge as possible.
"That was a pretty good move," Nightwing said, turning to face me. Batgirl landed on the roof next to him, with Robin scrambling up behind them. I grinned at them.
"Well, I bet you are all wondering why I gathered you here today." I said, letting my 'serious' face appear. They all stared at me.
"Just 'cus I'm crazy, doesn't mean you can stare." I said, folding my arms. Robin looked at me funny.
"You sound familiar, do I know you?" he asked. I giggled.
"I don't know. Tell me who you are, and I'll tell you if I know you. Deal?" Batgirl glared at me. I smiled sweetly at her.
"What's your name again?" Robin asked.
"I'm the Clown Princess of Mayhem, also known as Jokers Protégé. But you can call me Razi." I proclaimed loudly, bowing deeply but still holding his gaze. Something dawned in his eyes.
"Razi? Razi Goldspink? You're the daughter of Emilia Goldspink? Part of the Diamonds Crew?" He asked in rapid succession. I glared at him and stalked closer to him, anger filling my eyes. I clutched my knife tightly. No one can know my old life, and they deffinatly cannot know my mum, I and Batgirl tensed and looked ready to take me down. Robin held a hand up to stop them attacking me. He stood his ground, and I felt a flicker of respect for him.
"How do you know me?" my voice was hard as diamonds. I watched him, looking in his eyes for any sign that he was lying. He simply shrugged.
"Razi isn't a common name, you know. And I know that neighbourhood well." He was telling the truth, but he was hiding something, and he knew that I could see it.
"Razi, you were a good girl, a nice girl. You just got in the wrong crowd. We can help you get out of this, you know?" He said, staring into my eyes so hard, it was like he was looking onto my soul. I swallowed.
"You don't know what I've been through, what I've had to do. I can't give up this life even if I wanted too. And I don't want to." I growled softly.
"No, I don't know what you have been through, but we can help." He gestured to Nightwing and Batgirl, "we all have been through terrible things, but Batman has helped us get through it. We didn't let the darkness in us take over us. We used it to our advantage." He paused and I took advantage of the pause to interject.
"That's what I'm doing. My personality is dark and I've simply used it to get further in life."
"Razi, listen to me, please. Think about it. We can help you. You don't want to become the Joker, Do you?" I carefully masked my face, making sure he never saw how close he got to the truth. How much it hurt. But he must have sensed some of it. He gently took my hands in his. I looked at my small hands, one clad in a light purple glove, the other in light green. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up into Nightwing's eyes. He gently squeezed my shoulder.
"I don't know you, but if Robin trusts you, we trust you. The fact that you're letting your guard down shows that something Robin has said has affected you. You don't have to come with us now, but at least think about it."
Batgirl stood slightly behind Robin, and slowly extended her arm to my face, I winced, and waiting for a slap or something to hurt my face, like the Joker usually did. Her hand gently rested on my face, her thumb gently moved along my cheek bone. I trembled under the affectionate touch.
"We want to help you, Razi." I looked into her eyes, they were sincere. There was a loud bang. I jumped away from the Bat's. The Joker's cackle echoed. He wasn't anywhere near us.
"RAZI my Clown Princess, come here, I need you!" I turned to Nightwing, Robin and Batgirl.
"Think about it." Nightwing said.
"How will I find you if I agree?" I asked softly, my eyes on my mismatched boots, one was light purple, one was light green.
"Go to the tower were they shine the Bat Symbol from. Go alone, and we will meet you there." Nightwing said. I turned and ran towards where the Joker was, never once looking back. I never looked back.
1 hour later at the Bat Cave…
"Ok tell us, how do you know her?" Dick said, spinning Jason around. The three junior members of the Bat Family had taken off their masks and were waiting for Batman to return from tracking down the Riddler who was back in Gotham.
Jason smiled smugly up at Dick.
"Ask nicely and maybe I'll answer." Jason said. Dick raised an eyebrow at Jason and turned to Barbara, who was typing on the computer.
"What have you found?" He asked. Barbara read what she had found off the screen.
"Razi Goldspink, daughter of Emilia Goldspink and her father died shortly before she was born. She was born December 31 1996, which makes her 16 years old. She was suspected of being part of a group of kids that robbed a jewellery store when she was 5 years old; but was no one was proved guilty. She was suspected of being part of a crew called the Diamonds Crew that stole many things, and worked for the Joker, but again, nothing was proved that she, or any of the other kids, was guilty. At the age of 11, her mother died in an accident that involved some of the Justice League. She blamed the Justice League for causing the accident and not trying to save her mother. The actual cause of the incident was actually Joker. Joker took her in and made her his protégé. She's been working side by side with him for the past 5 years. Her skills include acrobatics, computer hacking, bomb making, lock picking, she has a well above average IQ and is immune to the Joker Venom. She is a street smart, book smart and all round smart girl."
"Alright, what do you know about her Jason?" Dick asked as he turned to his adoptive little brother. Jason sat on edge of the computer desk. He placed his elbows on his knees rested his head in his hands as he gathered his thoughts.
Jason looked up at Barbara and Dick. Taking a deep breath he began to speak.
"As you know, I grew up in the dodgy part of Gotham. I knew Razi. The Diamonds Crew was infamous around that part of town. When I was 5, I ran into them, and impressed them with my skills. The older kids didn't want to let me in. Razi stood up for me; she argued with them, fought them, and eventually got them to let me hang around. I wasn't a part of the Crew, but I was being trained by them. Razi was my teacher. She taught me to fight, how to make bombs, and taught me which fights I should fight. She was always nice, and kind. Once her mother died, she disappeared, and we never heard from her again. But by that time, Batman had taken me in."
"So how do you know we can trust her?" Barbara asked him.
"Simple, she doesn't know the Joker killed her mum in order to get her working for him. She has kept all my secrets ever since I met her. And she has nothing left to lose. But if you don't think that's a good enough reason, go watch her, and get to know her. She's the kinda girl that will do anything for the ones she loves."
"All in favour of helping her?" Dick asked, raising his hand. Jason and Barbara raised their hands.
"Good, let's hope she want's our help." Jason said.
"Let's go find her and keep an eye on her." Dick said as he slipped on his mask.
So this is my first ever Fan Fic, I hope you guys like it! I'm a little scared about posting it, but oh well.
This is the first chapter, and I'm halfway through the second one as we speak (or type..)
If there is anything you wanna say about it, please tell me... I appreciate constructive criticism :)