Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing, except from my own characters, opinions and ideas. Anything Batman/Joker related goes to DC Comics.
So this was just a little idea I had... I don't know if people will like it or not, but I have to try, don't I?
I always find it interesting to see people's takes on the 'pre-Joker'-Joker, and this is mine…. In a school environment. Not revolutionary, but there you go. I just want to 'try him out' on different people. I have always considered The Joker's real name to be Jack, so Jack it shall be in this particular fic.
Also, they won't all be this deep or complex. Some will be humorous :D
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July 10th, 1995
It was mid-afternoon. The sweltering sun beat down on James Dorson High School, slowly tormenting the students within it. Ms. Cranford's Sociology class were grouped together in the small, stuffy room, listening to an endless presentation made by one of the students.
"This is why we need elements of social control within our society," the boy read. "Without control, everything would spiral down until one person decides to take responsibility; this is when we end with a dictatorship or something as equally undesirable." The boy turned his page and cleared his throat. "Dr. Rudford's theories about social division and repression are interesting: he claims that even if we were to start over with no hierarchy of any kind, one would still form itself naturally due to the nature of human beings - that some men and women would always achieve dominance over others due to natural intelligence, physical strength, skill, attractiveness, cunning, or any else that society sees as an advantage. I, personally, would have to agree with this."
There was a snort from the back of the room.
The boy who had been reading clutched his folder to his chest in annoyance, and glared at the student that had interrupted him.
"Mr. Napier?" the teacher said quietly, looking up from her desk. "Do you have something that you'd like to share?"
The boy that had laughed looked around slowly. The whole class was staring, waiting for him to say something. Willing him to say something. They all knew that Jack Napier was not afraid to speak his opinions to teachers, and they looked forward to his comments, as well as the reactions that they got from whichever member of staff he had chosen to wind up. Ms. Cranford was relatively new to the school, meaning that the students didn't yet know her limits - or her weaknesses. She herself didn't know more than a few of the kids names yet.
But she knew Jack. Everybody knew Jack.
"Well?" Ms. Cranford asked, trying to keep the annoyance from her voice. "Because if you have nothing worth saying, Mr. Napier, I suggest you hush up and let Thomas continue his talk."
"To be perfectly honest, ma'am, I think Thomas has it all wrong," Jack replied.
A ripple of whispers washed over the room. Ms. Cranford stood up, walking slowly to one of the desks and leaning against it. "Please elaborate on this," she said smoothly.
"Well, I have to disagree with a point that he made at the beginning, about the function of crime in today's world. In my opinion, we do need crime and deviance in our society."
"And why would this be?"
"Because without wrong and the bad, how would we know what the right and good things are? We would have no definition of either one." Jack rocked his chair back against the wall, brushing his hair off his face, before continuing. "Look at it this way: an artist has a plain canvas in front of them... they can paint as much white onto it as they want, but none of it will show up if there isn't some black to contrast it, to outline it.... Without any black, it's pointless. You'd just have a plain white sheet. You know, every pencil sketch contains light and dark tones, because otherwise there would BE no sketch at all, just a blank page."
Ms. Cranford shook her head. "This isn't relevant; life isn't a painting or a pencil sketch. And besides that, surely if everything was right and good, with no darkness, then the world would be a happier place."
Jack laughed out loud. "And why would they be happy?"
"Because there would be no suffering, no darkness."
"Ah, yes, but without bad and evil, how would ever know or appreciate what suffering is or feels like in the first place? And how can they be glad not to be experiencing it? You see... if everything were good all the time, then the act of doing good would be meaningless. If we experienced nothing bad in our lifetimes, we'd have no motivation to do anything good, because why would we feel the need to change anything? But if we go by Thomas's theory of natural dominance due to intelligence and such, then there will always be a higher and a lower to every society; and from that, a good and a bad. Do you understand?"
"I understand, but I don't agree."
There was a pause. Then;
"Tell me something, ma'am. Do you believe that anarchism is a defensible policy?"
Ms. Cranford wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion. "We're not talking ab--"
"Do you or do you not?"
She pushed her glasses up her nose. "Well, Jack, what do you believe?"
Jack thought for a second, chewing his lip, before saying slowly, "I believe that anarchism is nothing more than a fight for freedom."
Another silence.
"That's an.... interesting theory, Mr. Napier,' Ms. Cranford said quietly. "And one that I'm sure you will have great fun explaining to me in your detention tomorrow. Perhaps next time you will not interrupt my classes so thoughtlessly."
To her great surprise, Jack grinned. "I look forward to it," he replied. "Technically it's not my fault anyway, seeing as it was you who asked me for my opinion in the first place."
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Ms. Cranford spent the rest of her lesson making angry notes in the back of her folder, not paying the slightest attention to what Thomas was talking about now. If she was honest with herself, she actually found her debate with Jack more interesting than Thomas's presentation. And it was true; she had asked if he had anything to share.
At the end of the lesson, she gathered together her folder and bag and headed out. Jack was standing just outside the door with several of his classmates.
"Remember your detention, Mr. Napier," she reminded him. "Tomorrow lunchtime, my office."
Jack did not answer.
But halfway down the hall, Ms. Cranford felt a presence creep close behind her, and heard a soft hiss in her ear.
"How has your mother been recently, Professor?"
The woman grew pale, unsure if she had heard right. She turned to face Jack, trembling. The boy was smiling mockingly at her, his eyes dark.
He can't know... I haven't told anyone else yet, not even Lisa... How could he possibly know?
Ms. Cranford swayed slightly, gave a hasty, mumbled, "Goodbye," and tottered down the corridor in the wrong direction.
Jack Napier smiled.
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A/N: So, what did y'all think? I know it might seem a little too philosophical for some people's liking, but my Jack is going to be a very thoughtful character. :)
If you have any ideas of how to improve, or comments in general, just let me know. And review! Please!
Cheers,
Taio :)x