Before she'd even had time to process the pain, or the panic, Harleen had been tackled to the curb and cast against the concrete. Stars speckled her vision and a shiny, slate skull danced through the white noise, staring down at her. Blue eyes were deeply set behind the mask, wild and wicked and Harleen understood, completely, her attackers intent even before witnessing the wrench in their white-knuckle grip. She'd seen it before, the first night at the warehouse spent in company of the Joker, with a blade to her throat. How he'd transfixed at the knife at her neck. How time had stood still. How she'd trade for that now. Harleen was sure to have seen this deathly, morbid mask on a Gotham's most wanted, but the name alluded her - her head pounded and throbbed, was it any wonder she'd forgotten?
From the stage, to circus, to freak show , this couldn't, wouldn't be the end of Harleen Quinzel and she struggled madly beneath the strange man's weight, squatting at her hips. She'd survived all this time alongside the Joker, she certainly wasn't going to succumb to him , whoever he was. She screamed, emptied her lungs with screeches, scratching at the varnished surface of his skull-face and splintering. Metal clanged at her ear - and her attacker was strangely, suddenly, weaponless.
"THA' FUCK?! "
He appeared just as shocked as she was, and instead, with a newfound fury, swung his empty fist. Harleen felt her nose crunch , a sickening pain erupted behind her throbbing eyes, blood poured from her nostrils, clogged at the back of the throat, knocking her back, head rutting roughly against the pavement. She cried, her hands splayed desperately in front of her, save he struck again. "D-don't-" Dizzy and disorientated, Harleen could hear a high laughter, the Joker, unable to determine if it were real or imaginary. Why was he laughing? Her heart sank to the lowest, deepest pit of her stomach, and writhed with an agony more severe than that of her swelling face. Tears streamed, stung and any strength she had left her.Please help me…
Her silent prayers were answered by a shadow that swiftly knocked death flying and flailing, freeing Harleen. Though her head thrummed and ears buzzed madly, she came to recognise the great hulking figure who had flown to her rescue. The Batman. Far greater and more terrifying than she'd ever imagined, eyes bright and glowing against a mass of solid darkness. He was as magnificent as he was threatening, built like a brick shithouse , he extended a gloved hand, speaking gruffly, "Harleen Quinzel?" He couldn't- this can't be - real. Harleen's arms were weak, ached and trembled as she reached out gingerly, struck, simply dumbfounded by the dark knight's imposing presence.
"Oh, no, no, no, NO , NO!"
The Joker flung himself around the Bat's neck, fingertips brushed but their hand's never met, Harleen's hero was pulled back by his nemesis in a scuffle of punches, scratches, a clawing maniacal mess. She scrabbled to the roadside, away from the ruckus, watched with horror as Batman turned on the clown, throwing hit after hit at an already wounded Joker. Blood littered the gravel, splattered his suit - all his own . But he kept advancing, each time more menacing, more aggressive and madder than the next, lunging and leering. And each time, was thrown, with such force, he had started to limp, wince and spit thick strands of blood from his teeth. "It's - ah - rude - to interrupt -" The Joker spluttered through a low, throaty laugh, clicking his tongue and waggling a finger. "Will you ever learn any manners? I'm beginning to think that you won't."
Harleen was stalled in her crawling away from the carnage, as her rummaging hand found the unconscious lump of her attacker, skull cracked up the middle to reveal a slither of olive skin beneath. She gasped, horrified, as her hand brushed his heaving chest. He breathed deeply against her palm and Harleen came to feel the cold, rattling of keys that peeked out from the inner pocket of his dinner jacket. Her mind whirled with the ridiculous - but real - notion of escape. Beyond the circling battle of black-and-white, Harleen spotted the car, the one that had rammed them off the road and into this predicament. It was busted but in far better condition than that of their own and snatching the keys, Harleen struggled to her feet.
The Batman thumped the Joker so hard that he hit the ground and arched up, fists clenched and groaning. Harleen pulled herself away, towards the car, shaking madly. She dropped the the keys, and cried quietly into her hand, heard the awful crunching, thudding, gargling, whining, angry sounds of their ferocious fist-fight. The Joker was relentless in his attack, though clearly suffering and the Batman did not once lessen the power and destruction of his blows. Just take him in! It's over! - she thought - he's down, stop hurting him! - but the Bat didn't seem, nor care to notice, how ravaged and ruined the Joker was. And the Joker would not. give. up.
Harleen gripped the keys and threw herself into the vehicle, ramming them into the ignition, blinded by tears. The car, despite its state, hummed into life and she crept off the curb, careful not to push it too quickly. She drove - couldn't believe she was driving - shaking so madly, her breath rattled in her chest. She was finally free! She was going back to her life, to the dream of her name up in lights, she was going to make it! She glanced at the rear view mirror, saw her eyes squinting through already purpling sockets, nose bloody and face smeared in it. She spotted their animated figures in the background, the Batman, and the Joker, still tearing at each other like rabid animals. Her heart felt as bruised and battered as the rest of her. And then another - another figure joining them, that awoke from it's slumber and swayed on two, shiny black feet, it's skull inky in the moonlight. Her attacker raised his gun from his belt and fired into the fray. Pop, pop, pop , pop!
Joker's limbs were fire, hot and hurt like hell, and he limped into each of Batman's loathing lunges, tossed around like a toy by the big, bad bat. "And - I thought - you - were losing your - to - touch -" he managed, though laughing scorched his lungs and left him breathless. But the sound of rapid gunfire gave him a brief moment to catch his breath, as the Bat and Joker broke apart, avoiding angry bullets that burst from Black Mask's handgun. "Someone's woke up on the wrong side of the sidewalk," Joker teased, his eyes narrowing at both enemies, a sudden stalemate as each man surveyed and studied the other. The high whining of an engine had them all break from their intense stares, as Harleen Quinzel was spotted, sat comfortably in the driver's seat, stirred up the gutter-stream and splashed the three of them in her escape.
"What?!" What the fuck?! His hands flew up and into his hair, stunned, shocked at the situation unfolding before his very eyes, as his captive stole the one last getaway vehicle and sped off into the night. " Seriously?! " Joker snapped, ignoring his unsavoury company. "Harley?!" and he turned to Batman - who he would eagerly blame for this - teeth gritted tight, "you scared her away!" Harley's emotions seemed to have got the better of her this time… He'd get her back - he'd have to. It hurt a little, and Joker swallowed bitterly, turning to face the men responsible for this momentous fuck-up . She was gone! She'd left him behind! He was done for! Shit!
"Ride or die, huh?" Sionis spoke, chuckling to himself, obviously, thoroughly bemused by Joker's predicament. "So, are ya' comin' wit me or the bat now ya little girlfriend's ran off ?" Black Mask's broad shoulders jolted with each deep, bold laugh. Oh, how hilarious…
"Shut it!" Joker hissed, his own grim and bloodied smile had vanished completely. Not that any of this was funny before, it really, really wasn't funny now. And from Black Mask to Batman, his mind was whirring with what to do. This situation, having been bleak to begin with, had gone rapidly from bad to the absolute worst . There was no way he was going back to Arkham again and there was no way he was going to let Black Mask hand him over to Penguin for a pretty penny. Yet, each option was appearing more and more likely for the clown prince. Just as he was getting back on track… Harley had left him. His chest burned .
"You're both coming with me ," Batman said, voice stern and serious as ever. Ha! And he took ahold of Joker's wrist so roughly Joker thought he'd snap his arm - unless it was already broken - a splintered pain rocketing up to his elbow. Well, at least the stabbing agony erased any sadnessthat had come creeping in his bones! He winced.
"Ow - ow - ow -oh- kay !" Joker raised his free hand in surrender, "Batsy, gentle , I'm not resisting!"
"Nah, but I am -" Black Mask raised his pistol to Batman's cowl, shaking his head. "N' I got things I been needin' to address with Joker here so -"
"You can continue your business behind bars," the Bat concluded. Witty .
Both Sionis and Joker groaned in unison, but Black Mask showed his displeasure with a BANG , firing a warning shot, clipping Batman's arm with the bullet, tearing the grey of his suit and grazing the skin beneath. Joker was thrown to the side, flinching as his knees cracked against the concrete, and Batman was upon Black Mask in an instant, fists hitting blow upon blow against the suited-and-booted. Joker didn't envy him, already struggling with aggravated wounds of his own, wobbling to his feet. "Naughty, naughty," Joker giggled from the sidelines, eyes glancing the street. He'd make a dash for it - but dashing anywhere at this point was out of the question, his body ached, just like Roman's was going to. He smiled at the slither of retribution delivered by none other than that of the Bat. Things stung a little less at that.
Roman was a flurry of slurs and spit, giving as good as he got. But Batman was overpowering, inhuman , in his attempts to reprehend him, and soon enough, Black Mask was just as much a spluttering state as the clown himself. It didn't take long. It never did. And Sionis was gasping through the cracks of his splintered, split mask, splayed on his back like a fish out of water, wriggling against the immense weight of the Bat pressing down on his struggling chest. Joker laughed, thankful for once that someone else was taking Batman's beat-down, and he clapped enthusiastically at their tiresome effort to take each other out. "My bet's on Batman!" he called loudly, hoping Roman still heard him through the humming in his skull, stepping slowly, cautiously from the scene.
Batman turned from his second victim, and back to his first, mouth a thin line at Joker's comment. Oops. The eared shadow stood from the sorry, limp body of Sionis, and stared at Joker's attempt at slipping away and out of sight. Joker smiled, hoping somehow , that would make his sneaking a little less insulting to the Bat - but Batman never wavered, and Joker swallowed at what he could only assume would come of him now. "I was just looking for a better view!" he said, in a hurried gush of words, high and laughing nervously, smile wide as he could muster despite the swelling of his face.
Batman pounced, clamped at Joker's throat and crushed, lifting him clean off the pavement so his feet dangled loosely. Joker's eyes burned, his throat felt as though he was swallowing hot coals, taking the smallest, sharpest breaths between Batman's relentless squeezing . He clawed, with little strength, at the Bat's fingers, legs twitching as he desperately sought for grounding. My, my was Bats pissed off today!
K
An obnoxious car horn echoed down the street at them - and Batman released his grip, blinded by the fog lights bearing down towards them with no intent of stopping. Batman had to move quickly to swipe Sionis to the side before it crushed his legs in it's path, and Joker scrambled to the left before he splattered the bonnet. Tires screeched and engine whined as it turned, and a door flung open - a high voice yelling, "Mista' J, quick, jump in!"
"Harley! You little diamond, you precious little angel, you smart little -"
" Hurry! "
Joker laughed loudly, proudly , elated, despite the pain, despite his injuries, he felt weightless, wonderful! She'd come back for him. Harleen Quinzel, his Harley Quinn, had come back for him . He hopped into the car, a new lease of life taking over, and he laughed hysterically, so, sohappy. "I could just kiss you!"
"Save it," Harley said, slamming her foot to the floor, the car growling and shuddered beneath them.
Batman and Black Mask were scrapping for power, Batman desperate to reach the car, but torn between that and disarming his foe. Black Mask yelled, but Joker couldn't hear over the struggling engine, yet witnessed him wriggling free and raising his pistol one last time - eyes met with Joker's through the passenger window and he threw off his damaged mask to aim and pull the trigger. Glass shattered and littered Joker's lap, scratching at his face, the little shards stung. The window collapsed in on itself and he couldn't resist poking his head out of the vacant space, scoffing, "Ha! You missed !"
Harley's little voice distracted him from this joyous occasion, that he had to pull himself away from the extensive and aggravated assault Batman beat on Black Mask upon firing his gun.
"No, he didn't -" Though she continued to drive onward, the battered blonde in at the wheel was crying, face etched with concern at the blossoming orchid of blood that leaked through the starch white of her shirt. One hand was fumbling blindly at the wound, fingers wet with stark red. Joker's eyes grew wide at the instant realisation, of the bullet lodged inside of Harley Quinn. He couldn't hide the horror, of his smile turning to that of shock. Oh, no.
"It hurts!" she cried, her hand at the wheel shaking madly. "Am I gonna die, Mista' J?!"
Fuck! He didn't know - he didn't know! He'd seen men live for hours after deadly gunshot wounds, until fever took them in the quiet hours of night. He'd seen men function semi-normal, not even knowing they'd been fired at, to drop dead in a matter of minutes. Above her breast was bad- he knew that much. Jesus, I hope not! His heart beat wildly in his chest, fighting with his jacket to get it off as quickly as he could, to hold it at the sodden hole of entry. Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!
"I said I would kill you, remember?" he told her, snapping teeth in his very visible stress. "You ain't gonna die by no hand but mine."
"I remember," she said sniffling, smiling weakly through her tears.
