Maya looked between Harley and the Joker as they both stared at their masterpiece. Joker had never been a fan of just plain hair, and now his daughter looked perfect with her new hair, makeup, and clothes.
-What do you think, Puddin? Doesn't she look good?
Maya found herself hugged by the madman.
-Good? Why, the kid looks amazing! - he laughed maniacally - It's time to show Gotham their new ruler!
-Okay… so… where are we going? - Maya asked, fearing the answer
-Well… I think a little girl is due her allowance, don't you agree puddin?
-Yes… LET'S GO! - the mad clown replied laughing maniacally
As they were walking out, one of their henchmen made a comment on how "hot" Maya looked in her new clothes. His face went pale when both the Joker and Harley stopped dead in their tracks. Harley was first to turn, her face with a mix of rage and disgust.
-What was that about my little Lucy? - she asked as she walked to the man, her bat scraping along the grated floor as she prowled towards him
-I… I… I….
Using her bat, she pushed him against the wall - apologise!- Harley said angrily, kneeing the man in the crotch as she pinned him
-Sorry, kiddo, change of plans - Joker growled - first, we're teaching this PIG some manners! - Joker looked the helpless man up and down
-What did you just say about my little girl?- Harley asked, removing the bat from his neck, she was sure he wouldn't run, he wasn't that stupid.
-Look, I, I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it, honest….
-Yeah, well not good enough! - Harley went to swing her bat but was stopped by Joker.
-Now now, Harley, let's not be selfish- Joker wrapped his hand around Harley's bat, making her lower it
-Lucy….
-Me?" Maya stared at her father
-Take a swing- Joker growled at his daughter, his composure less playful all of a sudden
-But he apologised, can't we just fire him…..
Slap!
Maya looked at the Joker, shocked as she now cupped her stinging cheek.
-Puddin…- Harley warned
-Fine, if you want something done, do it yourself - He snatched the bat from Lucy…
Joker and Harley beat the man senseless as Maya watched from afar, she felt like she was going to be sick as she heard the man's yelps of pain slowly fade
-Please stop, he's had enough! - Maya tried to shout above the violence
Joker turned to her, his face severe as he staggered towards the teenager, throwing the bloodied bat on the floor - I say when they've had enough- the clown prince grabbed her chin -got it?!- he yelled, making Harley turn around to see what all the commotion was.
-Mmhmm -she nodded quickly, she just wanted to spend time with her parents
-Harley!- Joker growled, gesturing her over to where Maya wasn't in earshot
-What, Puddin?
-It's not enough….
-What isn't?- Harley asked sheepishly
-Lucy. She can't just look like us, she has to be like us too! She isn't - He said bluntly.
-But….
-No buts, we're taking her to ACE chemicals…..
"Oh no, Puddin, you can't!- Harley pleaded, grabbing a hold of his arm as he tried to walk away
-Get off me, woman!
-Boys- Joker clicked his fingers, and then pointed to Maya, Maya's eyes widened before she was swiftly knocked over the head by a henchman, falling unconscious for the second time in the last two days
Meanwhile in the batcave, the caped crusader listened intently to what, a now conscious, Riley had to say.
-She's going to be okay, right? - she asked
-We'll do our best to save her, that I can promise you. - he replied coldly
-What does that mean?
Suddenly a call came in, it was Robin...
-Holy long lost daughter, Batman, you were right! There's movement at the old ACE chemical plant. - the boy wonder said
-Did you ever doubt it? - he smiled cockily
-Well, no but.. - Robin said awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck
-You need to stay here - Batman ordered the young teen
-Is this about Maya? I want to go! - Riley pleaded
-Sorry, kid- Robin shrugged, jumping into the batmobile - it's too dangerous
Riley watched as the batmobile seamlessly disappeared through the mountain.
She groaned despairingly, what if Maya needed her, she couldn't just stay here and wait for news.
-I have to go help Maya…
Looking around the cave, she saw the batcycle, it was more or less like the one Lucas taught her how to ride when they went back to Texas.
A few months earlier…..
-Come one, Sunshine, you can do it.
-Maya, I barely use my bike and that's every now and then, how am I going to use a motorcycle? - Riley asked in fear, pulling her hands away from the bike
-Don't be afraid, I'll show you….
Riley blushed as Lucas mounted the bike behind her, guiding her hands to the gears on the side of the handles. He continued to show her the way to turn it on and use the brakes, and slowly she got more and more confident with the 'death contraption' as she so called it.
Lucas removed his hands from the bars, wrapping them around the petite brunette's waist instead as she got the hang of steering, despite both their feet still planted firmly on the ground.
It took roughly an hour and a half to teach her the basics, but Riley was managing to learn fairly quickly once she had grasped those. Maya couldn't have been happier with her little plant learning to ride, if a little jealous by them being so close….
-SEE! I TOLD YOU!
Present time
-Okay… I can do this… I can do this…
Slowly, she mounted the bike and turned it on, she saw on the small display where the Batmobile was headed, all the bat-transport on synced up tracking systems.
She decided to follow the same path as they did when she watched them leave, for several moments everything seemed to be in order until she saw plain rock ahead of her, there was no way to avoid it...
-Oh God, no… STOP!
To her surprise, and in the last second, the rock split open and she found herself outside, her heart pounding like crazy.
-Okay… so I'm out… now, how do I get to that place?
Remembering that she had seen Batman use his voice to activate stuff, she decided to give it a try
-I… I want to go to… to… what was it… ICE… no… ACE CHEMICALS!
To her surprise, an electronic voice replied
-Plotting route to ACE chemicals
-YAY!
Shifting the gears again and turning the bike into drive, she followed the route.
Meanwhile, at said place, Maya woke up, her head once more pounding, she began to wonder if they knew that there were other ways to ask people to do things instead of hitting them over the head, she realized her parents were talking, she wasn't sure if they'd seen she was awake yet….maybe she could run...
-...but what… what if something happens!? She's my Lucy, OUR baby!
-Harley, she can't be like us with just your filthy makeup!
Stumbling, Maya stood up, the Joker realized this and pulled her roughly towards him by her arm.
-Well, it's simple - he said with a wide smile - you need to go through the same treatment mommy and daddy went through so you can be completely like us.
-W… what do you mean?
-Nothing extraordinary, all you have to do is take a bath - the Joker said, laughing
Maya analysed her surroundings, and from what she was learning about her parents, she knew that "taking a bath" meant anything but the traditional sense of the expression.
-I… I don't see any shower…
Both the Joker and Harley laughed maniacally, the latter pulled Maya to the edge of the structure where they were standing.
-You need to jump in there...
-Wait, Mom, that's… there's chemicals in there… it's dangerous…
-Hey, your father and I did it and look at us. Now jump!
-Mom, please…
Harley tried to push her but Maya began to resist
-MOM!
Suddenly an ominous figure appeared above them.
-Leave her alone, Quinn!
-Oh, not you… Lucy stay here while your father and I take care of bat brain up there
Maya stood frozen as a battle between her parents, the henchmen, and Batman and Robin ensued, she was so transfixed that she didn't realized someone else had arrived and was moving up towards where she was, not until that figure shook her.
-MAYA! Maya…?
-Riley! Riley what are you doing here?
Maya saw the tears in the eyes of her best friend
-Peaches, what did they do to you? Riley stared at her
-Look, Honey, you need to get out of here, it's too dangerous! I'm fine, okay? They're my family, they…..
-NO, they're not, Maya, WE ARE! Can't you see that?
-Don't call me, Maya, that's not me anymore….
-Yes it is! Look, come with me, let's just go back to New York, let's just forget this all ever happened, be the Maya we all love, okay? This..- Riley gestured to Maya, waving her hand in front of her -THIS IS NOT YOU! Come back to me! Please...
-Riley I…
But what neither of them noticed was that someone had moved away from the fight and started to listen to their conversation, that someone being Harley who started to feel her blood boil as she saw the little brunette girl trying to convince her baby to leave her again, never again, she thought
-You little pest… YOU AIN'T GOING TO TAKE MY LUCY AWAY FROM ME!
Maya saw her mother raising her bat and taking a swing at her best friend
-RILEY, NO!
The last thing Riley saw was her best friend falling away from her, then nothing, her limp body fell from the structure.
Harley just saw the petite figure hit the chemicals and disappear under the surface, her bat having impacted her skull just a few seconds before.
To be continued…