Chapter 1
The storm worsened over the city, flooding any low-level streets in two-inch deep water, spilling into the sewers. Lightning forked across the sky as thunder crashed, causing anyone out at night to quickly take cover until the worst passed.
Both girls stirred on a lumpy mattress as rain hammered the roof of the warehouse, seeping in through cracks in the windows. Yvonne was the first to wake, slowly rolling over and opening her eyes.
"Where are we?" she moaned, holding her head.
Her friend moved beside her, blinking at her. "You're asking me?"
They sat up, taking in their surroundings, the fog in their minds slowly clearing.
Both girls stared in confusion as they looked around, baffled by the crates and collection of circus props. It was as though a circus had caved in on itself, leaving behind broken toys and abandoned building toppers.
"Uh...is the circus in town?" Chels asked meekly, more than a bit fearful.
"Dude, it looks like some circus exploded or something." Vonny stood carefully, not sure what to make of the building.
"Circus..." Chels stood, glancing around warily before heading over to a crate, brushing away dust. Faded letters etched across the wood, making it hard to read. "I give up, I can't read this. Everything's too dusty."
Sighing, they stayed close together, cautiously exploring the warehouse, still not sure where their unknown kidnapper was.
"We just got kidnapped by a clown... A clown, of all things!" Chels yelled after a few moments of silence.
Thunder rumbled heavily as Vonny swore, looking at her. "What kind of nutcase dresses like a clown and kidnaps a pair of girls?"
"A loon who gets his kicks off scaring kiddies?" Chels guessed.
They looked at each other, then started laughing. Even though they were still frightened, it was still a bit amusing to even think of such a silly idea. How could they even be sure that was what they had seen and not just some goofball dressed up like one?
Chels hopped up onto a crate, keeping an open eye out, looking at her. "Isn't there an insane asylum somewhere around here? I could've sworn I heard something on the news the other night about some weirdo escaping. He looked like someone who had a bad encounter with lightning."
That got them laughing again; the very idea was absurd!
"Oh, really now?" a high voice rang out from very close by.
Both girls froze, then clung together, looking around for the source of the voice. Shadows were being thrown everywhere from the storm outside, making it very hard to see. Behind them, a shadow loomed up high on the wall, quickly moving closer.
"Who was that?" Yvonne whispered, glancing around.
"The hell if I know!" Chels squeaked.
"Making fun of someone you don't even know? I'm disappointed..."
They both whirled, staring as a tall shape slipped through the shadows and out into the light. Their clown kidnapper smirked at them, his head tilted to the side. Both girls blinked at him, unable to believe what they were seeing. Piercing red eyes with yellow pupils, bleached white skin, a wild mane of green hair, and his clothes: a shortened purple tailcoat with an orange vest underneath.
"What, is it something I said?" the clown asked, peering at them innocently.
Chels stared, then looked at Vonny; her friend returned the same look. They looked back at the clown, then turned, racing along the wall, searching for the door, screaming.
The harlequin stared after them, then sighed, looking at the ceiling, smirking.
"Who is this guy?" Vonny yelled, searching for the nearest escape route.
"Why do you keep asking me!" Chels shouted back, turning and racing for a door along the far wall.
They were just seconds away from reaching the door when the clown slid out in front of them, grinning widely, effectively blocking the door.
"Now, where are you girls off to in such a hurry?"
The girls slid to a stop, glaring at him, deeply frustrated and afraid. What did this freak want with them?
"What, you want to make us laugh to death?" Vonny snarled, not in the mood for games. Chels winced beside her; maybe making this guy mad wasn't a good idea.
The red eyes glanced away, lighting up briefly before looking back at them. "That could be arranged..." he drawled, taking a step closer to them and making them pull back. "But not today, I'm afraid."
"Just shut up already, freak!" Chels yelled. "What do you want?"
The clown pulled himself up straight and it took the girls a moment to realize he'd had a slightly hunched appearance when standing or walking.
"Don't you realize who I am?" he snarled, fire burning in his eyes.
Both girls stared at him blankly, then shook their heads. Expecting more rage from the clown, they were surprised when he looked at them with what looked like complete annoyance.
"Why, I'm The Joker! Gotham's number one super-villain!" He threw out his arms at this, looking around the warehouse proudly.
Chels started snickering quietly, unable to help herself. The laughter seemed to be contagious, Vonny starting up with her. Joker blinked at them, watching, then puts his hands on his hips, a bit confused.
"Cause I'm a picker, I'm a grinner, I'm a lover, and I'm a sinner. Playin' my music in the sun," Vonny sang, falling back and laughing. "I'm a joker. I'm a smoker. I'm a mid-night toker. I get my lovin' on the run."
Joker stared at her in complete annoyance as she sang another verse.
First they go from being afraid, now they were laughing at him. This was...new.
He cleared his throat loudly, watching them, eyes narrowing. If they didn't behave, he'd have to put these little pups down...
The girls quickly sobered up and looked at him, keeping a careful distance from him.
"You still haven't answered our other question," Yvonne said, both girls ready to run.
Ah, here we go...
Joker tilted his head, watching them, giving them his most innocent look. "It's not what I want to do."
They stared at him blankly, looking lost.
"It's what YOU want..."
Chels squinted at him as Vonny gave him a look.
"What we want? What could you possibly give us?"
The harlequin watched them, a thin smile playing on his lips. These girls were just like his little girl used to be... Curious, nervous, and a bit stupid.
"Well," he said, hopping up onto a crate and leaving the door wide open, watching them, "and please, have a seat. I promise no harm will come to you while you're around me. I just want to talk, that's all."
Both girls eyed him warily before hopping up onto some boxes closer to the door.
"See, the thing is, I'm just a lonely clown looking for a bit of fun at night. Only problem is, people just can't see my side of fun." They nodded cautiously, not wanting to anger him again. "I'd love to have someone to spend the nights with. Ya know, have a bit more sport that way." He watched them carefully, looking for an opening. They were so cautious, unlike his little Harley Quinn. It might take more than a few words to get them to open up to him...
"And...this has to do with us how?" Chels asked cautiously.
"Yeah, anyway," Vonny snorted, glaring at him. "You kidnapped us just to let us have fun?"
Joker shook his head, keeping his expression neutral. "No, no. See, I've been watching you for a little while now. You're the outcasts at school because you're different."
Both girls tensed up visibly at that and the maniacal clown within him grinned devilishly.
"I've seen the way you two always linger on the outside of the student body, always looking for some way to fit in." He waved a hand at his warehouse, glancing away from them. "All this? Merely mild amusement as I search for someone to share it with."
"...you couldn't just ask us?" both girls said at the same time.
He looked at them again, shrugging. "Had I asked, would you really have come with me? Look at me: I'm a clown who has a lot more style than most people in the city, yet people run screaming from me."
Both girls looked at each other, then at the clown sitting across from them. True, they wouldn't have come along had he asked. His appearance was far too bizarre and the way he smiled... Well, it looked like the way a shark might smile at a delicious piece of fish.
"All I'm saying," he continued, watching them, "is that I'd love to have a night with the two of you. Maybe even become friends. I have no one..." He cast his eyes down to the floor, drooping his shoulders.
He could see the girls' reactions soften as they watched him, keeping his face bowed towards the floor.
"You don't have any friends?" Vonny asked after a moment of silence.
"Well...see, that's where the little hitch comes in." He looked back up at them, smiling a bit. "I come from Arkham Asylum, home of the criminally insane."
Both girls froze at the name, jumping off their crates and backing away from him.
"I knew it was too good to be true!" Chels yelled at him.
The harlequin held up his hands in a submissive gesture, looking at them.
"Now, just hear me out. Sure, I might be a bit crazy, but that's why everyone fears me. They don't look at things my way."
Vonny paused and Chels stopped beside her, both watching him carefully. A clown from the worst asylum in the city. Who in their right mind would trust an asylum escapee?
"What do you mean, your way?" Chels stared him down, wary.
Joker sat quiet for a moment, studying them. Obviously they couldn't have been in the city for very long. They didn't know his name (how rude! his mind screamed), they were loners at school, however, they weren't picked on, and they were very skittish of him. Usually his victims begged for mercy or gave at least SOME SIGN of recognition of him.
"Simple. I like flashy colors, have an arsenal of chemicals at my disposal, merely laughing gas," he quickly added as their looks of interest turned to horror, "and I happen to be Gotham's number one super-villain. However, I tend to have a way with the girls for giving them a night on the town."
Vonny gave him a look and crossed her arms; Chels merely looked disturbed.
Inwardly, Joker sighed in frustration; aloud he said, "Not like your thinking. I just want someone to hang out with."
All three stared at each other for a few long minutes, neither side speaking. Joker sat quietly, giving his best impression of a lonely, yet deranged looking man. The girls sat up straighter after a few more tense seconds.
"Okay...we'll give it a shot." Vonny wiped the dust of the crate off onto her pants, watching him. Chels stood up beside her.
"If you're insane...no one will get hurt?"
"Us included." Vonny glared at him, a warning.
Joker had to smile at that. Two girls, both nearly ten years younger than him, trying to threaten him.
"Is that a threat?" his voice dropped to a whisper, laced with venom.
"You're damn right it's a threat," Chels snarled, watching him.
"Unless you can't deal with that hanging over your head," Vonny retorted, studying Joker.
The clown started laughing; he just couldn't help himself. "I'm being threatened by two girls barely in their twenties! I really must be crazy!"
There was a sudden change in tension in front of him and he stopped, staring in surprise, then shock.
A large raptorial beak snapped at him and he jumped back, crashing down among the boxes as the creature moved in on him. Behind the falcon-like head, a black wolf moved in, lips pulled back to show off white fangs.
Joker was at a complete loss as he lifted his hands in the universal sign of surrender. Thoughts swirled in his crazed mind as he stared at the creatures in front of him.
A black wolf, hackles raised; a creature that seemed to be half bird, half feline.
"I...uh..." he stammered, looking at them. It took him a couple of tries before he cleared his throat. "What...exactly are you?" He'd watched them for two months, but never had he seen the girls this way before.
The peregrine head lowered towards him, the furry ears perking up. "Why, I'm a gryphon, you silly little clown." The voice was the same, but his mind couldn't grasp the thought of that beak making perfect words.
"And obviously, I'm a werewolf," the canine said, wagging it's tail. "And in case you can't tell, I'm Yvonne."
"Chels," the bird head bobbed at him.
Joker stared up at both of them from his position on the floor, blinking, then narrowed his eyes in thought. What a difference this could make if he could convince them...
"How..." he paused, unsure of how to phrase the question his mind so desperately wanted to ask. A moment passed before he looked at them again. "Never mind. So do we have a night on the town? Pull a few pranks?"
The girls changed back in one fluid second, making him blink. How did they do that? Oh well. All answers would come if he was patient.
"As long as people don't get hurt," Vonny said, crossing her arms. Chels nodded beside her, smirking.
The clown could hardly hold his excitement back. "Of course. I only ask that you help out if the need arises. And I'll tell you about the pest on the way..."
