A Step Outside of Reality by Titangirl797
Chapter One: The Joke's On You
Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own them. I don't own DC Comics or any of their characters.
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It was a bitter, cold day in Jump City, California, which was odd. Cold wasn't something one generally associated with the costal city, yet today, there it was – freezing cold temperatures, in the low thirties. Now, to you, this may sound like November, but it was the dead of January and everyone was freezing. Well that's what you get when you don't get out of California enough.
If you want cold, go to Keystone or Gotham. It was always cold in Gotham, with a brisk wind thrashing everyone who dared exit onto the streets between October and March.
But, I digress.
So, even though it was freezing outside, several teenage superheroes, members of the Teen Titans, went about their business, the cold wind whipping their faces raw and forcing their hair to whirl incessantly.
The one named Raven was just exiting the café with her friend, the alien powerhouse Starfire. It had been poetry night again, and, just like every other night, Starfire was booed off of the stage for her innocent, open-minded, happy writing. At least, that's what happened earlier that night, before Starfire showed the emo kids at the café exactly where she could stick her starbolts.
She had gotten all applause.
Starfire giggled at some muttered comment of the dark girl, holding an orange hand to her mouth. The edges of Raven's mouth twitched upward slightly, before her face became Ice Demoness Extraordinaire once again. But her eyes just seemed colder than usual. If you asked her, very persuasively, then she might admit to feeling a tad bit depressed, but that was, in essence, Raven. The inability to feel could do that to someone.
Across town, the green changeling Beast Boy was in the mall, getting points and stares, as ususal. Was it really that hard to accept that he was green? He only wanted a game, not to be looked at as if he were a piece of meat on display.
Maybe, just maybe, if the two separate sets of Titans were together, then the depression in Raven's eyes and the on-edge frustration that Beast Boy was experiencing would make sense. Well, at least they would have been able to save themselves.
An unmarked white van paused on the street near Beast Boy, just as he passed a small alleyway. He didn't notice; he just kept walking. A light tap on his shoulder alerted him to her presence.
She was a nonthreatening pretty blonde woman, standing in front of the alley he had just passed. She spoke in an accented voice that he swore he knew.
"Which way to the circus?"
Beast Boy was confused. There was no circus in town currently. Maybe the woman just wanted to get with him – it wouldn't be the first time, even though he tended to exaggerate about his romantic encounters.
"Um, I'm sorry, but there's no circus. Maybe I can help you with something else?" He brushed off the annoyance he was feeling, a deep-seated one that felt as if his animal instincts were involved somehow.
"No circus?" the woman asked, seeming like a child on Christmas when she learns that there is no Santa Claus. "Well, there is now, green kid!" The quick change in tone of voice alerted him instantly. He knew where that voice was from.
His mind didn't register the large hammer until it was almost too late. But he managed to dodge, throwing himself to the left and narrowly escaping becoming sidewalk gunk. He was a Teen Titan after all, and the Titans knew how to fight. His hands scrabbled at his waist, attempting to grab his communicator before she could attack again. She swung the mallet down toward his head. He transformed, allowing the form of a cheetah to save him from the psychopath.
He realized too late – the swing was a false hit. The burst of gas hit him full in the face and he fell backward, unconscious, onto the hard, cold sidewalk. The woman flipped him over with her foot, planting his face on the ground. She placed her foot on the back of her head and said, "Quinn, one, green kid, zero!" She seemed extremely happy about this fact.
"Joke's on you, Kermit," Harley Quinn muttered to the knocked out Beast Boy, whose breathing was slowly becoming steady. She picked him up, carrying him like a sack over her shoulder. The crazed woman threw him into the back of the van roughly, ignoring the shocked faces of several passerbies.
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They walked down the sidewalk, enjoying the cold. Starfire could barely feel the bitter, biting wind, but she was enjoying her "girl time" with Raven. This was what Terra normally did now, but Raven was her true sister. For a while, as the only females on the team, "girl talk" was necessary. But lately, Raven had been opting out of their chats, instead locking herself in her room or meditating for extended periods of time on the roof. It was during these shunning that Starfire learned that Terra was quite proficient at the "girl talk". So, talk they did. But, Starfire had to admit, it was nice to still have long chats with Raven on occasion.
There was a mime on the side of the road, which was unusual in Jump City, where lawyers and pizza delivery men were the majority. "Ooh!" Starfire cried, a childlike glee in her eyes. Raven barely noticed the man, for her depression was changing into frustration, and she just didn't understand why. Raven locked eyes with the mime just as he stood up straight, confusing both Titans.
"Welcome, ladies, to Uncle Jay's Mimetacular Show!"
If the voice wasn't familiar enough, then the name gave it away. Raven activated her telekinetic powers, growling out the man's name. "Joker," she stated through clenched teeth. The trademark smile was distinctive. The unstable clown took a bow, smiling even wider, if possible.
Starfire charged up her starbolts, awaiting Raven's orders. On the field, the Titans followed Robin, but if attacked at other times, Robin had stated that they should default to the more experienced Titan, the one with the most age.
"Hello kiddies! Nice day for a little fun, dontcha think?"
The two Titans became defensive as the Joker, unmistakable yet unrecognizable behind the mime outfit, began pulling off articles of clothing, allowing the bright purple of his unique suit shine through.
"You know, I wasn't sure if traveling to Jump City was worth the three million I'm going to earn, and I was right! It's colder than the Bat's heart here!" The Joker burst into raucous laughter, sounding like a bad imitation of Mark Hamill.
Starfire and Raven exchanged glances. What was he here for? Hopefully the monologuing would begin soon.
"And I have a feeling," the Joker continued, pulling out a gun, "that the green kid was easier than you're going to be."
Starfire gaped for a moment, before attacking the Joker, eyes ablaze. Raven took a moment to pull out her communicator and call Robin.
Connecting. Please hold.
"Raven? What do you need? I'm on the other line with Batman."
Great, she thought, he's in a bad mood.
"Well, while you're at it, tell him that the Joker's here and that he has a nice right hook." Starfire went flying behind her, the Joker having gotten one good shot in, but she was up again before a normal human could blink.
"Okay, I will," Robin said, obviously not even understanding. Raven waited. "WHAT?" Robin cried, face inches away from the screen, making his head look three times larger than it normally was.
"Yeah, he's…" Raven began, but Starfire was down for the count, a little knockout gas still surrounding her head. Raven felt a little woozy. The Joker must have used a lot to get the Tamaranian down.
"Oh, dear. What a mess," Joker said, looking down at the unconscious Starfire. "Ah, well," he said, pulling out another gun, this one clearly filled to the brim with knockout gas.
Raven threw a bus at him. He dodged.
Thetête-à-tête was just beginning.
And Raven, no matter how good of a fighter she was, knew that there was a fifty percent chance of her getting out of this, even with Robin, Cyborg, and Terra on their way to help. And this was the Joker, Clown Prince of Crime. If she had a chance, it went out with Starfire.
So, she attacked, hoping that time was on her side.
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Author's Note –
This is mostly just a short preview of what is to come. Like it? Tell me, and I might keep writing it. I've been toying with a couple of ideas for this story, but I am not sure I will bother if no one is going to read them.
Oh, and look out for another chapter of Raven's Plight soon.
Titangirl797
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