My original character Layla (lay-luh) Pierrot (like the Italian clown pining for love) and the Clown prince. This is a romance story between the two with some homage to TDK. Please review!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Batman series.
Chapter 1: Anniversary
After three years of stolen nights researching, planning, and finding the courage to go through with it, Detective Layla Pierrot had finally infiltrated The Joker's central hide-away. Perhaps not his only hide away in Gotham, but it was a major finding for her case nonetheless. Dressed in a thick brown trench coat with a clown mask fastened securely to her face and her thick, long, black hair pulled into a bun, she steadily made her way past the other armed clowns towards the little red door. Layla was admittedly scared, but she kept her composure with each and every step down the dark hunter green hallway. Despite her disguise, Layla stuck out amongst the others. For they were broad and bulky (some even a bit tubby), but there was something more that. They had what could only redescribed as an eerie calm being in such a dangerous place. No doubt, half of these people were deranged. The Joker loved to pick the weak ones…the sanity deprived for his meaningless muscle.
"I can do this. I can do this. Don't think like an outsider. You BELONG here too. I can do this."
Layla mentally reassured herself while taking short sips of breath through the cheap plastic mask. Between the deranged thugs, thick musky scent, and face piece, she couldn't tell which was suffocating her more.
She kept reciting her mantra until she arrived to her final destination. The red door was now directly in front of her. She took a deep breath.
"Now or never."
Just as Layla placed her hand on the doorknob, a maniacal laughter sent chills down her spine. She felt frozen. A feeling she had recognized too frequently whenever she came close to this fallen jester.
Layla quickly turned about on the balls of her feet, only to be greeted by the clown prince himself. His dangerous smirk and bloodshot eyes filled her with terror.
"HAhaha,Ooooooooo!"
"Get her! Get her!"
"Hehehe HA!"
Sneers and howls suddenly filled the tight space between them as the clown's henchmen formed a circle around their master and his prey. The clown prince licked his lips and spoke, not with anger, but with mock. "Why so serious?"
In a flash, he whipped out a razor sharp blade from within his purple coat and sliced Layla's throat in a solitary swipe. Blood spilled from the incision followed by her muffled gurgles on the crimson tide. As the blood spilled out of her mouth, she collapsed to the floor. She struggled on the ground, finally giving in to the loss of fight in her. She lay there motionless, embracing the darkness.
"Aw! Did I play too rough for my tough girl?" The Joker asked with feigned concern. All the while the clown kept laughing hands on his head with a smile pulling apart his own cheeks to release more blood. He let it spill over Layla's limp body, his eyes turning into flames. For Layla, everything went black.
"Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!"
Layla shot out of bed with her body covered in sweat. After a bit of panting, she finally calmed down.
"Another one of those dreams?" she closed her eyes and tilted her head back.
"These dreams keep getting worse." Layla placed her hand on her forehead and glanced at the clock on her bedside table.
"Shit!"
Today was not a day to be late. Layla quickly jumped out of bed, showered and proceeded to get dressed in her usual attire of a beige suit and white collared button down shirt. The pants were tight around her ankles, but loose enough on top to allow for the shirt to be tucked in. She let her long hair flow down her back and brushed her swept bang to the side, framing her exotic tan face. Layla took a second to admire the complete look in the mirror. She prided herself on being well kempt. As a teenager she would shop at the local thrift store to find cheap pieces that still looked new. Or at the very least, nearly new. Her mother always tried her best to help with this endeavor. Sewing buttons, adding frills, whatever scraps she could get from the factory line she worked in. Layla couldn't help but wonder what new clothes she could have bought for her mother now. Being a successful detective in Gotham came with respect and the money they were deprived of only five years ago. And still…each day found Layla missing her mother more than ever.
"Meoooooow!"
A fuzzy force wrapped around Layla's legs, breaking her away from those too familiar thoughts.
"Oh, Harley. Good morning to you too."
Layla walked to the kitchen and poured a bowl of food for her beloved cat. Harley was the only immediate family Layla had left. No longer a tiny kitten, Harley was now a slightly pudgy old-aged fur ball. Layla didn't mind the extra fluff. It was more to cuddle with during her often-sleepless nights anyway.
Shortly after her morning routine, Layla headed out the door. Just as Layla left the apartment, she stopped and thought to herself.
"Oh wait!"
Stepping back into the apartment and heading for her room, Layla opened her bedside drawer. After a bit of rummaging, she plucked out a faded purple tie and fastened it to her white collared shirt.
"Mom sure would've wanted to spruce this up."
Layla fidgeted with the tie and checked her appearance in the mirror once more. After feeling put together, she pet Harley one more time and left home.
"Today is a special day."
Once outside, Layla flagged down a taxi. She recognized the driver and politely smiled.
"Hey, Armit."
The slender man with the goatee and fedora smirked.
"Hello Ms. Layla, running a little late aren't we?"
She curtly nodded. "We sure are! Can you get me to the station before 9?"
Armit let out a chuckle. "C'mon, have I ever failed ya before?"
With that, Armit stepped on the gas and headed for Gotham Police Station.
Layla hated the Gotham police force. It was filled to the brim with corrupt officers, but what else would you expect in a city such as Gotham? The crime capital of America they say. Has to extend to some corrupt officials too.
Upon arriving to the police station, Layla was immediately greeted by a familiar face adorning a silver mustache.
"Detective Pierrot, Good morning!" Commissioner Gordon greeted Layla and motioned for her to meet him in his office.
"Now there is an honest man." A silent thought.
As they made their way across the station, Layla couldn't help but notice the commotion and drama playing out around her. One officer rushed over to another and frantically started to gear up. Reluctantly, she gave in to her urge of eavesdropping.
"There was a bank robbery on 24th and Lincoln! No word on whether or not it was by a meta-human."
"Allen! Allen we're sending a dispatch now come on!"
A flurry of officers gathered in the police vehicle and drove off. Layla was used to seeing these urgent calls and being in the midst of action, but not from these people. They looked like new faces she hadn't even met before.
"Maybe they aren't all bad"
Gordon noticed the smile playing across Layla's face.
"Pierrot, something amusing?"
Layla was torn away from her thoughts. "Not at all I'm sorry. Anyway, it seems like you're really on top of things for today."
Gordon shut the door to his office and reached for his coffee mug. He made an offering gesture to Layla, but she put her hand up and politely declined.
"No thanks, I've never been a fan of coffee."
Gordon shrugged his shoulders and spoke.
"It's his anniversary. Three years since he's been in Gotham. He has a history of doing something…big!"
After a bit of silence Gordon glanced down and noticed Layla fidgeting with the purple tie.
"Is that the tie again?"
Gordon gave a cold stare and Layla's hands fell to her sides.
"Y-yes but-" He hushed her by raising his hand.
"You put more time into the force than anyone here. You graduated from the academy at 21 and came straight here harassing me to take a chance on you. I did."
Layla looked down and dropped her hands to her side. She felt a bit of embarrassment for being so stubborn back then. Gordon noticed this and took a turn in his speech.
"…and you're the only one to go into hand-to-hand combat with The Joker besides Batman…and live. Not to mention come out with a trophy."
His gaze fled toward the purple tie.
"It was…doable. Brought us closer to finding out who he really is…" Layla tried to reason.
"If we found out his real name, then we've got him! Don't you see that commissioner?"
Gordon took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
"Pierrot, I really appreciate your dedication, but we've been through this. There is a fine line between dedication an-"
Suddenly an officer burst into Gordon's office.
"Smith? What is it?"
"The Joker! There's a bomb threat in the hospital!"
Layla got up from Gordon's office and pushed past Smith and Gordon.
"Perriot! Wait!"
But Gordon couldn't stop her. Layla waited for this moment ever since her last encounter with the Joker. The results of that night escalated her name in the Gotham crime force. It had left her with a few bruises and sore lungs, but it also left her with his tie. Now If only she could capture the real thing.
An officer Layla recognized was making a run for the cars.
"Maria! Hold the door!" Layla called out.
Three cars were dispatched to the hospital. All of which left a very angry commissioner Gordon behind.
"Wait you idiots!" he ran behind the police cars until he stopped, out of breath.
Suddenly, he heard a gruff voice behind him.
"Need a lift?"