Disclaimer: See Chapter 1 and as always, please don't flame
Chapter 14: A New Toy to Play With
"And your parents? What did they say about this?" Bruce asked, clearly not pleased with this bit of news.
"They don't know about Kurama, Yoko or my involvement with Spirit World and I would like to keep it that way. They are true innocents and I will protect them," Kurama said, as his green eyes turned cold and hard. "As you have seen, I will kill anyone that threatens them."
o0o0o0o0o
Bruce watched as Barbara and Shuichi walked out the door to take him home. Dick stood beside him. "You think it's safe to let her go with him?"
"I think so, Dick," Bruce said, turning back to go to his study. "He was quite candid on many things. Although, he wasn't telling us everything."
"But what guarantee he won't go bad? You heard him, he plays by his own rules," Dick said, following him.
"His parents. He'll protect them at all cost," Bruce said. He could understand that much about the boy. He would give anything to have his back, alive and unharmed.
"And his threat about killing?" Dick asked.
"Didn't you want to kill the people that killed your parents?" Bruce countered, mulling over what Kurama had told him and what was left unsaid.
Yoko would be the biggest problem. That sadistic sense of humor of the fox was worthy of several foes here in Gotham, including the Joker. Just where the fox was right now, he didn't know. One thing he did know was he would be seeing more of him.
He was concerned about Barbara falling in love with the boy. He knew she could take care of herself. She's proven that time and time again. This time however, he wasn't so sure.
o0o0o0o0o
The discussion on the way home between Barbara and Kurama had been mostly about his classes and how he was doing. What plans he had for the future. It had been enlightening. Barbara knew he was highly intelligent but the fact he was holding a 4 point in all his classes said it all plus the fact, he would be graduating a year early boggled her.
She stepped out of the car just as Shuichi did. "Thank you, Shuichi for finally trusting us," she said as he put the key into the lock.
"It was interesting," he replied, pulling her into his arms. "It will take time for me to relax my guard. Yoko lowered his once and he's still paying the price," he smiled, pressing against her, brushing his lips against hers.
Placing a hand on his chest to stop him, she stopped him, "No." She sighed stepped back, fighting the wave of lust that crashed over her. She was aroused and damn but the guy was sexy. "When you completely trust me, Shuichi. As you said, you play by your own rules, give me a chance to learn them?" Licking her lips, she sighed with regret, "Why do you have to be so sexy?"
She knew she was taking a huge risk here, but during dinner she had come to a decision. Before they became lovers, she wanted to be his friend as well. She wanted to trust him and he -- her.
He chuckled as he stepped into the building and closed the door.
o0o0o0o0o
Kurama made it up to his apartment, with a very sexual frustrated Yoko growling in his mind. 'Calm down, Yoko. She didn't turn us completely down,' he sighed rubbing his forehead.
/Fine! But when we do get her. I want to have some say in punishing her for putting us off. /
o0o0o0o0o
In a cell at Arkham Asylum, a man wearing clown white face with an evil sneering grin paced relentlessly, murmuring to himself. He was going stir crazy. It's been awhile since he had been out in the outside world. He wanted fun, excitement and to toy with a certain annoying Bat. Harley, short for Harlequin, was suppose to have everything set by now. 'Where was she?' He growled and paced like a caged animal.
Explosions rock Arkham as security guards and orderlies run to the cause, shouting order. Massive steel doors fall into place to keep the more notorious violent insane inmates confined.
"Well, it's about bloody time," the Joker muttered.
o0o0o0o0o
Barbara and Shuichi were watching "LoTR: Fellowship of the Rings," snuggled comfortably on his couch. She had been coming over for dinner and a movie for several nights now, but she still refused to spend the night. Not because she didn't want to. Both of them knew she did, much to Yoko's aggravation. The few shared kisses and cuddling wasn't enough in his line of thinking.
"CRUD!" she swore as she pulled out her cell, as she just noticed the Bat Signal in the night sky.
"Bruce?. . . Yea. Just saw it. Do you need me?. . . .Ok. . . .Bye," Barbara said as she hung up. Turning to him, she said with regret, "I have to go. The Joker just escaped Arkham." She uncurled herself out of his arms with very obvious regret. "I don't know how long I'll be tied up."
He sighed as he kissed her on the cheek as she left. Seeing her out, he heard his phone ringing.
o0o0o0o0o
Under the Bat Signal, Gordon gave the details of the Joker's escape to Batman and Robin. Batgirl wasn't present.
"Several of the guards and orderlies were injured in the explosions. Plus a couple other inmates have escaped in the riot that followed," Gordon was saying. "But the biggest headache is the Joker."
Robin looked over at Batman, "Should we worry if Yoko meets up with him? You know Kurama likes to hang around."
o0o0o0o0o
After Kurama hung up the phone, he smiled as a plan came to mind. Going to his computer, he pulled up the file on The Joker. After reading how the Joker came into being by falling into a vat of toxic waste and becoming grotesque version of a joker on a deck of cards, he pondered on demons he had met looking just like that and they had been born that way. Nothing unique here.
/He may be amusing, but I doubt it. What else does it say/
"It says here that the Joker commits crimes with countless "comedic" weapons such as razor sharp playing cards, acid-spewing flowers, and lethally electric joy buzzers," Kurama mused. "That sounds familiar. Also it says here that he uses a form of Joker venom, a deadly poison that infects his victims with a ghoulish grin as they die while laughing uncontrollably. The Joker is also very skilled in the field of chemistry, and is no slouch at hand-to-hand combat. What do you think Yoko?" Kurama asked as he printed off the information.
/He wouldn't last long in the Makai. There's nothing special about him. What you have planned, Red/
Reaching for his cell, he made a quick phone call. "Hello Barbara? Something's come up. . . . Yes, Well. . . I have friends coming in from out of town. . .you'll be busy too? Sorry you won't get a chance to meet them. . . Alright. Talk to you later," he hung up the phone.
Yoko howled with laughter. / This I got to see. /
o0o0o0o0o
Kara: Please, please comment on what you think of the Joker section. You said you don't like him, however, I really hope you enjoy this.
KawaiiKone: Confessions are always good. I'm trying not to reveal too much too soon and yet, I need to get the information out to the readers. It's a tough balance.
Psycho: I hope you had a fun and safe vacation.
Just what Kurama and Yoko have planned for the Joker, stay tune. Please review. I'm a little disappointed that no one commented the IY reference which I couldn't resist throwing it in. Until next time. -- GF