In some twisted reality the sky is purple and politicians are honest. Being left handed isnt weird but a privilege. You are judged for who you are not what you look like. PBS has enough money so they no longer have fundraisers. War is settled with the best 2 outta three in rock paper scissors. And we know the address of every telemarketer so we can repay them for wasting our time on the phone while we could be doing something else important like watching TV, and I own Batman Beyond. BUT we live in this reality and I DON'T own Batman Beyond. Man this reality sux!

Chapter 12: Marionette

Nightshade sat in the kitchen of his apartment captivated by boredom and his own racing thoughts. The Shadow is Harley and Harley is the Shadow! Damn it why didn't I see this earlier? Her riddles, her games were all pointing this out! Damn it Harl what happened to you? He asked no one. Erik stopped nibbling his chew toy into oblivion at the mention of his mistress's name.

The telephone rang breaking Nightshade from his train of frustrated thoughts. Nightshade answered gruffly wondering who would be calling him if not his or Harley's employers.

A smooth voice said over the other end of the line.

Nightshade stood onto his feet. Stress must have finally gotten to his mind, surely he was hearing things. The sweet voice he had longed to hear for so long must have belonged to some other person who sounded like her. But no, no one else called him Red except for...her. Maybe a dream, yes a mad dream of sweet delusions would make sense. But did he really want this moment to be a dream? Harl! Are you okay? What's going on Harley? Why are you going about as the Shadow? He poured the questions on.

Chris, I can't explain over the phone, h-he might hear me. Said Harley in a near whisper.

Your so-called master. He asked.

She paused. Chris can you meet me atop the building beside the church?

Nightshade didn't have to ask which church, there was only one Harley could be talking about. Give me two hours. He said then hung up.

***

Harley frowned as she handed the cell phone back to her master. He is coming. She said desolately.

Her master smiled. And you will do as I've asked? He asked running his fingers over her frowning lips and cheeks.

Take him down...or death. She recited.

He snickered. Good girl, now go get dressed but forget the suit, I want him to see you as you fight.

Harley did not speak she only turned to do as he commanded. Oh and Harley, to make sure you don't try anything tonight I'll be joining you. He said.

Harley stopped in her steps, Have I given you any reason to doubt me, Master? She asked with her head half turned.

I'm not a fool, Harley. Even now you are questioning me, I hope you don't need another reminder of why I am the master. He said balling his hand into a fist in a sign of what he meant. Harley shook her head. Good, now get going.

She had to swallow to get her voice to work again. As you wish. She stated walking away.

***

Nightshade sighed then looked down on the young hyena. Well Erik I'm heading into a trap. He said. Erik raised his ears and titled his head to the side. How do I know? Well for starters when Harl's mad at me she calls me Chris. When she's alright with me I'm Red. When she's furious she says my full name. He said standing then heading into his room.

Nightshade removed his custom of green and gold. It was more suited in taste of his mother; he needed something that was fit for his name. A quick visit to one of the clothing stores should do the job, even if they were closed at the current late night hours.

One hour later Nightshade stood besides his newly stolen car dressed in a deep green shirt and pair pants in the colors of a deep green merging into a deep eggplant shade of purple as it reached down towards the ankles. The material was leather-like but to Nightshades delight no animal was skinned to clothe him. Nightshade smiled at his dim reflection in the shop window.

If Harley was with him she would tease him in some sort of way. Perhaps stating something around the area of; Now that my knight in shinny leather has donned his armor when is he going to get off his ass and rescue me?!'

***

Nightshade carefully scaled the rusted metal steps of the old fashioned fire escape. It was of little wonder why she had chosen this place of all others to meet; most of the block was either condemned or at the point of falling apart (there were rumors of having the place restored, but decisions like that never went quickly in Gotham). The best thing about the neighborhood was that hardly anyone lived there.

Nightshade silently stepped onto the rooftop, scouting around for a mere glimpse of who he was looking for.

Nightshade breathed as he saw the figure of his girlfriend standing back in the far corner of the roof. It took him a moment to realize that she was dressed in apparel similar to that of her alter ego Shadow. She still wore the hood with its tattered cape; the sheet thin fabric of ash gray fell over her shoulders and flowed onto her back. She wore no gray suit, no this time she wore a gray bustier with small coils of black running all over her front. It showed off a great amount of her cleavage. She wore a black pair of what seemed like hot pants and from beneath the straps of a garter belt clinged onto a pair of off black thigh high stockings. To complete her look a pair of boots, most definitely belonging to Harley, crookedly laced up just below her knees.

Nightshade looked her up and down, as he knew she was doing to him. A small smiled passed over her lips in a small sign of approval of his change.

Ah so you decided to come after all. A deep voice said. So close yet so far. I never enjoyed the irony of that until now. A masked man walked out from the dark over to where Harley stood. He puffed contently on a single cigarette as he slowly stalked around her.

The masked man ran his hand over Harley's waist. She's an magnificent little number isn't she? Awkward yet graceful, mysteriously attractive yet she tries so hard to smother it with her hard nature. He ran his fingers over her up-pushed cleavage. The master grabbed hold of Harleys chin and forced her to look towards him. So strong yet so simple to break. With that he pressed his lips hard against hers.

Nightshade hissed ready to fight. No, no. We don't want your darling girlfriend to get hurt. Master said. Besides she's mine. She will do whatever I ask her. She will endure whatever pain I bestow upon her. She is at my every command. He said placing the lighted cigarette to Harley's exposed waist.

Harley took in a loud breath of air. Don't scream. Master hissed digging the embers deeper into her side grounding out the cigarette. Harley's eyes filled with pain as her mouth fell open in a silent cry.

Why are you doing this? Nightshade asked hoping he could distract him from harming Harley.

Master removed the cigarette tossing it into one of the shady corners of the rooftop. Harley use to be so obedient, that was until you got involved; then she started to let me down, daring me, testing my limit. He growled grabbing hold of her hair.

By day she was Harley Jest with her shadow beneath her feet. But by night the darkness took over and she was my Shadow. The sleek death, the silent scream, the shift hand, and my loyal slave. He reached into his pocket and removed a single blue pill. But she started fighting me again, regardless of the punishments. But no worries, we'll put a stop to all of that. He said placing the pill into Harley's mouth.

Nightshade watched in horror as Harley's throat moved from her action of swallowing. A look of ease and sedation passed over her once pain-stricken face almost immediately.

The Master smiled as he stroked her head as if she were a pet. Harley, my Shadow, do your master's bidding and kill him.

Kill or die. She said stepping forward drawing her sword.

Harley, c'mon hon you can beat this. Fight him. Said Nightshade as Harley drew ever closer.

Harley slowly shook her head from side to side then suddenly swung her sword for his belly. Nightshade jumped backward landing belly up on the cold tar rooftop. Harley grunted as she brought her dark sword above her head and down again to the prone Nightshade. Nightshade rolled to his left letting the blade sink harmlessly into the roof.

Harley was prepared to strike again when Nightshade leapt onto his feet, with a hard kick to the back of her knees he brought her down to the ground. He quickly kicked the sword over the roof's side so that he wouldnt have to worry about being attacked with it later. He straddled her waist ready to hit when he looked into her surprised brown eyes. If she still wore her gray mask it would have been easy to strike, he would have been able to block the knowledge that she was Harley underneath. But no he was fighting not the Shadow but Harley. He could see her; he could see her face as it twisted in pain from the blows he dealt onto her. Whoever this Master was he was a demented man.

Nightshade continued to look down into her eyes, they looked so hurt and frightened. Her whisper was barely auditable onto his ears, Save me again, Red.

Master shouted seeing that she was still for a moment longer than he wished.

Harley shifted her position beneath Nightshade so that he sat almost on her chest. She lifted her legs wrapping them around his chest. With a hard squeeze and a pull Nightshade was flipped off of her. Nightshade rolled onto his feet, thinking all the while how this was the only time he hated Harley's flexibility.

Harley advanced once again releasing a volley of punches aimed mainly for his face and upper body. Nightshade dodged her last swing. Harley, I didn't want to do this. He said half apologetically as he swung once catching Harley in the ribs. But she did not wench; she quickly hooked her arm with his and in a mighty swing rammed her knee into his lower belly.

Nightshade doubled over. Dammit, I taught you that. He groaned.

Yeah, and you taught me this too. Harley said just before she kicked out her right leg towards her left body almost taking off Nightshade's head had he not caught her by the calve.

Like I said I taught you that. You taught me this. He shoved her leg quickly away standing onto his feet. He wrapped his arms tightly around her pinning her arms down to her side.

Ha what trick is this? Harley asked. Nightshade closed his arms tighter around her pressing in her ribs until she cried out breathlessly in pain. She struggled wildly until her feet touched ground and she moved backwards in attempt to be freed.

Harley fought against his arms and chest trying to push him away as he tried to hold her towards him. Harl, what are you doing? He demanded watching as she uncaringly stepped backward closer to the roof's end. He held tighter to her. You'll fall. He warned still holding her tightly.

She looked up at him with teary eyes. Shadow dies tonight, Red. Harley said as her foot slipped she fell over the ledge taking him with her.

Together they disappeared only the side of the building, falling in each others arms heading in a downward angle towards a deadly demise on the church adjacent the building which they had fallen from. Let me go Red! Harley shouted as they fell closer to the damaged rooftop of the church.

I can't. He said simply and quickly holding her tighter to his chest. Love you too much to do that.

To Harley it seemed everything slowed so that they were merely drifting instead of falling. She felt she could have cried upon hearing those seven words said into her ear. What a romantic way to die.' She mentally sighed to herself. Wait...die? Like hell I am! I have too much to do to die now.' Harley quickly balled her body around Nightshade's making him do the same. She pulled the cape over them the best she could.

They couldn't see when they fell through the already broken roof but they could feel it. Nightshade cringed as Harley cried out in extreme pain, it was her back that broke through first.

When they hit they lost hold of one another sending their bodies to land separate of each other. As Nightshade hit ground his body rolled across the floor into large hard objects that he could not see, he blackout on contact.

***

Nightshade groaned in pain as he came to. The unblinking eyes of one of the cracked saintly statues stared down on him emotionlessly. He looked about him at the broken wooden pews he had rolled into. How long had he been out? He wondered. Some time had to have passed; the night air was quieter if possible in Gotham City meaning many of the night owls of Gotham had retired. But exactly how much time had passed was the question at hand. If as much time had passed as he estimated that meant that the police should have been there by now (if anyone called them). And also that meant Harley's Master would have had enough time to retrieve his precious Shadow.

Nightshade carefully climbed onto his stiff legs, He called out to the abandoned church. His eyes drifted towards the broken circle of a stained glass rose embedded in the wall, it must have been beautiful in its time. The bright moonlight cased the many lovely colors down onto the pulpit, at the bottom of the narrow steps Harley's scratched and bruised body laid basking in the colorful glows. If it weren't for her steady breaths Nightshade would have sworn that she was dead instead of unconscious.

Carefully and slowly he approached her as if she would vanish like a dream. The stifling and cold silence of the church was broken as his foot crunched down on a small object. He looked down at the object he had stepped on. It was a small blue pill, the same her Master had given her before the fight. She didn't swallow it. Nightshade whispered to no one.

Nightshade looked up again at the scene of his unconscious lover. The worn remnants of the bloody replica of a crucified Christ looked down forgivingly on her still form. Nightshade's eyes floated around the room, it seemed all the cherubs, apostles, and saints each painting and statue were looking down at her like some fallen angel with a broken wing. Their eyes, some forgiving, some accusing, some crying, some traitorous, and some emotionless, all looking towards them made him wonder; for what crimes they had committed all in the name of their survival and pleasure was there forgiveness for them? Could they be blame and judged for what society molded them into? Who was to blame? Harley had no one to call a mother but an ex-criminal, could she be blamed for finding a mother in her? Who made them what they were today? Why did so many think that because they did as they did they had no heart or soul? The Master used Harley like some soulless puppet. He had no doubt left her for dead. How many more people like him, thought them nothing but toys, existed within the city?

Somewhere above them a black bird flew across the beams. Nightshade remembered attending a church like this once before, what he remembered most was the choir singing, but he never could understand what it was they sang, but the hunting voices singing echoed in his mind. Carefully he bent down pulling her into his arms. A few cuts and bruises, he could feel no broken bones. Nightshade reminded himself that she had fallen from higher places and lived (though he didn't recall her falling through a rooftop before) she was a strong girl.

He looked down on her still face, if truly she were an angel fallen from the heavens above she was his angel regardless of the misdeeds she committed. "Let the heavens weep to mourn their loss." He said to himself. Come on baby; let's get you home. He whispered to her still form slowly walking out.

____________________________________________________________________

That's it for chap 12