P.S. Thank goodness FF is back up and running. I was going into withdrawals. --GF
Disclaimer: See chapter 1 and as always, please don't flame.
Chapter 15: The Joker's Wild
/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
The Joker now free from Arkham surveyed his motley crew. Harley, his most loyal side kick stood by him. She was dressed as a harlequin in purple, green and black. Her face painted in clown white. "Ohhh Mr. J. It is good to see you, Sir. What plans do have in store for the Bat Creeps?" she gushed.
They had taken over one of his old haunts, the Fun House in an old abandon theme park outside of Gotham. "Well Harley," the Joker said rubbing his hands together, "I do have a few ideas to take care of our current rodent problem. But first, I feel in the mood for some poker, don't you?"
"Anything you say, Mr. J. You're the boss."
o0o0o0o0o
The Gotham Museum was hosting an exhibit of Diamond Jim Brady's diamonds. The most notable were his cuff links.
The curator was nervous about putting on such an exhibit as its been known in the past that the museum was a prime target for many of the city's rogues.
The patrons were moving along nicely. The security system is working. Police and guards were at every exit. He prayed that nothing would go wrong.
Green mist began to pour out of the vents. People started laughing and collapsing onto the floor.
A maniacal laugh echoed over the pa system.
o0o0o0o0o
Batgirl was punching data down on the state of the art computer in the Bat cave. Her thoughts really weren't on the data she was keying in but on a certain red head. He had called to say that friends were coming into town, so he would be busy as well. He didn't say which friends or if they were human or not. She would rather be with him then doing this.
She sighed. He was starting to relax around her which in her mind was a good thing. He didn't say anymore about himself and she didn't push. She had told him a bit about her past which wasn't as exciting as his but then, he wasn't normal.
Alarms on the computer went off as a police scanner picked up the broadcast that the Gotham museum had been hit. Seems like the Joker didn't waste any time.
o0o0o0o0o
Kurama stood in a park, listening to the wind blow through the trees. There wasn't a soul around him as he leaned against a picnic table. He looked up into the cloudy smog filled night sky. losing himself in thought. It would be good to see his friends again. He didn't want to admit that he had missed them.
/It will be good to see them again, Red. You worry too much. Wonder what Batgirl is doing/
He quite agreed. A tingling feeling ran up his spine as a signal of a portal being opened. Looking over his shoulder he watched as a small glowing opening seemed to hover in mid air. Turning to face the opening portal, he smiled.
/About bloody time. /
Within seconds the portal was widen enough for a tall person to step through. Kurama wondered if much has changed since the last time they had seen each other.
"KURAMA!" came voices of six familiar individuals as they stepped out, greeting him.
o0o0o0o0o
Batman, Robin and Batgirl had tracked down the Joker to his lair. They scanned the area for traps. Everything seemed too easy but they had to go in. Batgirl hung back as back up. She didn't like the idea but it was her turn.
She set up a small base of operation at the edge of the park. With lap top and ear phone, she guided Batman and Robin in. She kept in constant contact with them as they moved silently through the park.
"This is too easy guys," she was saying into the mic. "There's a guard to your left with a couple of some things, I think guard dogs but the signatures are wrong."
"Didn't Harlequin have a couple of hyenas as pets?" Robin asked, nervously.
"Think so," replied Batgirl. She tapped a couple of keys. "Yes. Two have been reportedly missing from the zoo."
The hyenas came charging out of the darkness as a couple of canisters went off at the same time.
Batgirl watched as Robin was captured. Batman wasn't anywhere to be found. Batgirl could not raise him. 'Crud! The Joker must be jamming our signals.'
Picking up her cell phone, she made a call. "Come on. Answer." she hissed at the phone. "Hello? Kurama? Batgirl."
o0o0o0o0o
Batman watched as Robin went under the hyenas. The explosions lit up the night sky like fireworks as he hid in the shadows. He had warned Robin not to make rash assumptions. Taking to the roof of the nearby building, Batman cased the area once more. The headphone set was giving off static so relying on Batgirl was out.
He followed to where they were taking Robin. The Fun House. He should've know. That place will be almost impossible to break in. He needed some sort of diversion. Slowly he started to return to where he left Batgirl only to be hit by a gas bomb.
"You are so predictable Bat-creep." came a woman's voice. "Just like Mr. J said."
o0o0o0o0o
Kurama hanging up his cell, he turned to his friends, rubbing his forehead.
/Looks like you'll be putting that plan into action sooner then you thought, Red/
Kurama told his friends what just happened and wondered if they wanted to meet one of Gotham's infamous rogues. A chorus of yes rang out as they trouped out of the apartment.
o0o0o0o0o
Batgirl was waiting by her cycle when Kurama and six guys came out of the shadows. She looked at their various sizes and colorings. 'Oh my,' she thought. 'Poor Joker.'
"Hello Batgirl," Kurama said, "I hope you don't mind but I brought my friends with me. This is Jin, he's a wind master."
"Right nice to meet you," said a red hair young man with a horn sticking out of his forehead. Jin was also floating cross legged in the air, his hands resting on the back of his head.
"This is Toya, an ice master." A blue haired young man with a stoic expression bowed slightly, but didn't speak.
"The tall one with the blue mohawk is Chuu." Kurama said as Chuu laughed and hiccupped.
"Right fine to meet ya, Sheila. The mask is a definite turn on. I think I'm in love," he hiccupped again, then laughed.
"Hi, I'm Rinku. Don't let Chuu scare you. He's drunk most of the time," said a boy that looked about 8 or 10 with a star tattoo under one eye.
A spiny haired blonde stepped up and bow slightly, waving a hand in the air like a diva, "I am the Beautiful Suzuka and this is Shiskiwakamaru." He pointed to another blue haired young man with a very odd looking sword, who just said, "Hn."
"Are you all demons too?" asked Batgirl.
Kurama chuckled. "Yes. We all are. So tell me, what's going on?"
o0o0o0o0o
What no Hiei? Sorry. Hiei just doesn't have the sense of humor to deal with the Joker. Don't worry, Hiei will make an appearance soon. So place your bets now. Who will win? The Joker or Kurama? I hope I didn't given too much away.
Kara: You sound just like my daughter.
Ultamite: I'm glad you are liking this story. I did put a lot of thought in trying to mesh these two very different story lines together. And yes, I know that Kurama and Yoko are totally meshed. However, I have my own theories on how things work. For the purpose of this story working, I had to make them more like a split personality. As for your suggestion as to explain why they are, you'll just have to wait for it. It's coming up, closing to the end.
Kawaii: Kurama has set the plan into motion, you'll just have to wait for it.
Kuroi: Thanks for the review.
Until next time. -- GF