Raven looked down at the piece of paper from the other day. An address had been scribbled down on it, barely legible. Jack had told her to meet him there. He needed some kind of help, he said. Help controlling something that was trying to take over him…
Normally, it would have been in poor choice to follow such instructions, but Raven, being who she is, was able to sense that Jack wasn't trying to trick her this time, something really was scaring him. She heaved a sigh and looked over the address again. "I have no idea where this is." But she knew where the hideout was, maybe she could find him there? Nodding, she redirected the disc of energy she was using as a means of levitation and headed for the hideout she'd seen the other day. "I hope he's alright…"
Meanwhile, Jack was at the hideout. But it wasn't really Jack that was mentally there. "THE BAT MAN GOT AWAY AGAIN. CLOWN LADY NEEDS TO DIE! JACKIE'S GOING TO TEAR HER TO PIECES AND THROW HER IN THE WATER TO NEVER BE FOUND!" It looked like Jack, but it didn't act like him. Didn't talk or walk like him either. This, was Jackie. An inner part of Jack's mind, personified when he cracked and let him loose. He was crazier than Joker, and about three times as threatening. The man stormed out of the hideout, snarling and looking around, TWO BIG MACHETE knives instead of the ONE little knife he almost killed Harley with in his hands.
The yelling was heard from where Raven hovered. She touched down in front of what she remembered to be the entrance to the hideout just as he came rushing out. A startled scream left her, and she stumbled back a bit.
Jackie whirled around at the scream, teeth bared in a fierce snarl, muscles tense and his whole body in a pose ready for attacking. He froze completely though at Raven, and tilted his head in an animal-like way..
"You one of the Clown man's friends.." He muttered, voice soft but growly. And the way he talked was almost like a child.
Steadying herself, Raven took a wary step towards the man. 'Clown man?' she thought to herself. 'Right…Joker…' The way he was glaring her down left her feeling uneasy and slightly nauseous, this was… She looked closer, trying to identify him.
The girl's eyes widened. "Jack?"
Jackie slowly grinned at the cloaked girl.. it was not a very nice grin.
"Jack is in here." he tapped his head, "He don't wanna talk to no one though. Jackie can have FUN now and find Bat Man and Clown Lady…" And then he brought the machete knives up slowly.. "..and anyone who gets in Jackie's WAY."
That was simply a warning.
"That's not…" Her hands trembled, she'd seen that grin before, old footage and pictures from case files. It sent a chill down her spine, and the warning was noted.
This wasn't right though. He told her that he'd wanted to control this. And what she was seeing now…he'd slipped. Slipped so far down. but how could she get him back? Raven shook her head and took another very careful step forward. She needed to think of something. "I'm here to help you…" Her eyes never left the blades, always watching, keeping herself poised on edge, ready to defend herself.
Jackie sneered, "With WHAT? Jackie don't need help! Jackie needs to GO GET THEM!" And he waved behind him as if the people he was talking about were there. Clearly they weren't. Clearly Batman had gotten far away by now with Harley.
And, thinking on that Jackie growled more "JACKIE GOING TO FIND HIM!" And he whirled around to start running off.
Raven held out a hand, surrounding the area in a blackened force field. "I'm sorry…" She wasn't just going to let him get away like that, not when he was like this. "This is going to be for your own good, Jack." The girl lowered her hood and took a few more steps towards him.
"I'm afraid I can't let you find them when you're like this." Robin would never forgive her if she just let this man go.
Jackie tensed up VERY much when he saw the force field go up in front of him. A huge growl left his mouth and he whirled around to face Raven again, eyes wide with rage.
"YOU! YOU DARE TO TRAP JACKIE? NO ONE DOES THAT AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!" He blew up and ran for her, the huge blades held high and his intent to hurt her deadly serious, despite seeing she had inhuman powers.
"Jack, I know you're in there!" She yelled at the man as he tensed up. "And I know that you can fight this, that's why I'm here. You asked for my help!"
Raven took a deep breath and moved to a defensive position upon catching his gaze. Her own eyes narrowed, never leaving his. She knew just what he was capable of, and she was terrified. But she wouldn't let that show. Standing tall, her hands glowed black, ready to create a smaller field if needed.
"JACK'S NOT AVAILABLE!" He roared as he came closer and closer and then gave a great leap off the ground to get to her, the sharp tips of the machetes shining in the light of a streetlight near by, aiming to cut Raven down.
Whirling to the side, she avoided contact by a few inches. Quickly back stepping, she assumed a stronger position, small shield-like barriers forming from her wrists. With a determined glare, she sneered at her attacker. "I don't want to hurt you, but I'm not about to lose here."
Snarling and panting now, the man glowered at her. And then he looked at the barriers on her wrists. His eyes looked confused completely.. But he quickly focused on Raven again.
"What do you want? Jack not here! Jackie don't care about Jack! Jackie. Wants. TO GET BAT MAN!" He raged, and in his fit, he threw one of the machete's at her, to see if it would at least do something and get him somewhere. He clearly only knew violence and rage, and it overpowered all logical thinking entirely.
Not expecting the projectile, Raven stepped to the side a little to slowly. SHe let out a small yelp of pain as the cool metal made contact. It didn't do much damage, but it did hit, leaving a nice tear in the sleeve of her uniform exposing the flesh beneath. Her other hand moved to brush over the wound; pulling back she noticed small traces of blood staining her fingertips.
"And I don't care about what JACKIE wants. I care about what JACK needs!"
Jackie was smirking at the blood he saw he'd made come from this odd lady. But when she spoke again, the smirk quickly vanished and he readied his other weapon.. "TOO. BAD." He roared and came at her again, ignoring completely the fact that she sounded like she was getting rather angry.
And angry she was. With a darkened and grainy voice, she spoke again."You need to learn your place, Jackie." The venom with which she spat out his name, her lip curling as she spoke, could have dissolved his very existence were it tangible.
No longer afraid, she stepped forward with one arm extended. The edge of her cape billowed about her ankles and her eyes had begun to glow a faint red. Her own anger rose within her; as she stood tall, she appeared to tower over the man that was once taller than her. The girl crept forward, dark tendrils snaking out from under her cloak.
Jackie halted as he saw her transform before him, his eyes noticeably grew wider and then narrowed once again. This was clearly not expected by the psycho man…
Her words reached his ears and another growl left his scarred lips. "YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF JACKIE!" He bellowed and ignorantly tried to leap and swipe his machete at her now taller form.
"You doubt me," her voice deepened even more, sounding just a touch like her father's. Her grin spread, almost matching his. The dark tendrils shot up at the man, wrapping tight around his arms and midsection. "Stand down, Jackie." All hope and happiness seemed to disappear from the world as she glowered at him, her eyes transformed into pulsing red orbs, piercing his soul.
The machete fell with a loud clank to the ground..
The man's pupils seemed to shrink, and his eyes stared back into that redness..
Jackie looked almost like a little boy now.. in her tendrils clutches.. his mouth parting.. his strong angry voice lost..
..Clearly he had found his match.. and his face slowly transformed from the shock and panic.. to lips frowning in a pout and his head slightly bowing..
like a boy caught doing something naughty.
"Jackie was just wantin' to play.." He mumbled.
Her gaze faltered for but an instant, watching the machete fall to the ground. "Good." She lowered him to the ground and shrunk back to her natural height. Raven's eyes returned to their amethyst color, though she kept hold of him.
"Let. Jack. Out."
Surrounding the fallen machete in a dark field, she crumpled it like it was just a little piece of cardboard and aluminum.
"I'm in no mood to play."
Jackie still looked pouty and like a boy even when once again he was taller than her. He turned slightly away, head still bowed.. his eyes indeed glanced the crumpled weapon.. and that just made him pout more.
"you people are no fun to Jackie.." he mumbled again..
And then his eyes rolled up and his body wavered a second.
And then Joker started, as if just waking up, eyes shooting open wide and his body straightening right up.
He looked around.. and then at Raven.
"….Hi, Raven." He sighed.