We are Young.

Plans change, they always change but it was nothing like this. Jester would have to admit this was amazing change.

She looked over at Edward as he rounded up the Doctors with the help of some men, may wearing the gang colours of many different rogues.

"Keep up monkeys," Edward snarled. "I do not want this plan to fail all because of your idiocy and I can assure you that it would be extremely bad for you."

Jester sighed and shook her head before looking over at some of the terrified Doctors as they stared at Edward in horror, some of the guards were too.

"Eddie, I think they've got the picture," she chuckled.

Edward turned on her and narrowed his eyes, making Jester gulp. She didn't know what it was but… there was something different about that look… something about his eyes that didn't settle right with her, it was like they were looking at her soul, if she had one left, examining it and then looking straight through it like it was nothing other then a distraction.

It was like he was looking at her as a thing and not a person.

Jester knew that look all too well, she'd seen it on Joker's face whenever he looked at Harley to which she claimed it to be a look of affection and love, but Jester knew she was only trying to convince herself that, it was why she said it out loud all of the time. Like hearing the words said out loud made it real, even though it obviously wasn't.

"Did your job have the word thinking in it?" Edward snarled, making Jester take a small step back.

"No…"

"Then why are you doing it when it is obvious you can not?"

Jester narrowed her eyes and took a threatening step forward. "Say that again, I dare you."

They were then held in a staring competion with each other, the men that Edward had brought all froze in place staring at the scene in front of them.

You could feel the tension and no one wanted to move in fear of death.

Suddenly Jester threw her hands up the air. "That's not going to get us anywhere and neither is me standing still. I'll see you around Eddie."

Edward blinked as the girl turned and began to walk away before he shook his head and looked back at her as she reached the door.

"Jester!"

She stopped and turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm… I'm sorry I… I don't know what came over me I just snapped…"

"I know what's come over ya'," Jester snarled. "Ya loosing it, Eddie. Weather you believe it or not you're loosing it. I've noticed it but never ever raised it to your attention, but you're getting worse. The game Eddie, it's taking you over can't you see that have you even looked at yourself?"

Edward sighed and turned away, running a hand down his face before he looked towards the church organ. "I… I'm fine."

"Are you?" Jester bit back. "Or are you just hoping you're okay?"

"Stop playing games girl!"

"Why because you're head can't take it anymore?!"

"Forlorn faces running from the cold regret, empty spaces something that I can't forget, all I wanted was to wish the past away, but times the cruellest ruler that we all obey."

"What?"

Edward sighed and turned back to her. "It was something my mother always used to sing to me… whenever my dad…. lost his temper should we say?"

Jester was silent for a while. "He hit ya?"

"You already know that."

"Yeah but… I never knew about the song."

"No one does," Edward sighed. "I… I would leave me if I were you Jester," he turned to her and held a concerned expression. "I keep having these… these mood swings and headaches and I don't know why but… I'll be okay just for your own safety…. I would stay away from me."

Jester blinked a few times staring at him before swallowing. "O- Okay… I'll just get going…" she paused as she opened the door. "You… you better call me Eddie if ya' need any help…"

"I will do. Take care of yourself."

"Yeah…. and you," she whispered before leaving the church and wandering out onto the streets of Arkham City, where could she go… maybe… maybe she could see if she had any rooms left for open… of course she would, she loved Jester.

Jester smiled slightly as she skipped off, only pausing to look back at the church as banners with huge green question marks being pulled up shone in the light as well as the glowing green question mark on top of the roof.

Eddie would be okay… it was Eddie after all… he'd be fine.

She smiled and nodded to herself before skipping off.

He'll be fine.

"How'd you know they'll be okay I mean… it's Whisper… ya get me Whisper."

Target turned to his friend, the huge reptile boy was looking at him with slight unease.

Target smirked. "They'll be fine, Whisper has the hots for her, I can tell."

"Yeah but you have the hots for just about every girl you meet," Gecko protested. "Whisper may be completely different!"

"I doubt that, he's still a guy."

"Yeah… an extremely old guy… you heard him, he's over one hundred years old!"

"Well," Target smirked. "Lets hope Enigma has a thing for older men."

Gecko rolled his eyes before he slapped Target on the back of the head. "Knock it off with the damn jokes, they aren't funny!" he growled as they walked down the stair way that led into the main part of the gambling building. The lower levels were under water but the main room was still okay and right now it was generally were the kids went to hang out away from adults, since the tea house was posted in New Gotham.

Target and Gecko looked around the room to see the lights that still worked were on, some chips were resting on tables as well as spilt cards. In a few places candles were lit casting no shadow as they flickered and twisted as the air blew past them.

The inside mainly consisted to red lighting and colour with gold to give a grand feeling to the casino which was obviously aiming higher then the costumers it could ever get.

Sitting at what would of been the owners table was a small group of kids, dotted around the table with one at the head which could be presumed as the head of the little group.

One boy wore mostly black and dark blue that itself was almost black, his hair was spiked and he had ring piercings on his ears as well as a few along his eyebrows. Parts of his skin was burnt liked he'd gone too close to the fires he played with and was playing with right now as he flicked his lighter on and off, staring at the flame like he was in a trance.

"Hey Target," he mumbled out, his voice sounding horse and rough like he'd spent too much time in the facinity of smoke.

"Hey Scorch," Target mumbled back before both he and Gecko grabbed a chair to sit at the table.

"Well look at what the cat dragged in… or in this case the lizard!" there was a chuckle from the boy at the head of the table, green tipped hair the rest was a bright purple. The boy also had clown make up on his face and he wore a purple leather jacket with green edging and a bright orange shirt. He slowly leaned back before he rested his legs up on the table showing green checked trousers and black boots with red straps… he would remind you of a rocker from the 80s maybe… just without the moheekan.

Next to him was a boy fiddling with some tooth picks, a bandanna was brought away from his face but he still left the orange and black spiralling goggles over his eyes. He was wearing a black hoody with an orange hood and black and orange stripped arms.

"Hey J'J," Target said giving a weak smile as he nodded towards the boy who sat at the head table, before he turned to the black and orange striped arms of J'J's comrade. "Jack in Box. Good to see you're okay… last I heard and all."

"Meh, minor set back but it wouldn't stop me," he muttered.

"Ya just bounced back," J'J laughed making Jack in the Box burst into a fit of laughter too.

"Say…" J'J muttered as he calmed himself down. "I hear there's a new kid in town…. hanging around with my dark little angel Lu-Lu."

"Ya talking about Luna?" Gecko questioned.

"Obviously," J'J bit back before he leaned forward. "I heard there's a… guy with her. Someone almost as dark as my lovely angel."

"Oh, that's Nightmare," Gecko muttered before he got to his feet and wandered over to the bar to grab a drink.

J'J blinked in confusion. "Nightmare? Never heard of him, but I might loose sone sleep over it if ya' don't tell me exactly what's going on."

"Jealous?" Target teased gaining a swift glare from J'J before the killer clown grinned.

"Oh, Target, Target… Target, Target…." he got to his feet using his hight as an advantage on the much smaller boy. "That arm is pretty cool…. do you want me to give you another?"

Target gulped before looking away. "Say Gecko could you bring me a drink too?"

"Sure. What ya want?"

"Cola will be fine."

J'J smirked as Conner dodged the question before he turned to the matter at hand. "So… this Nightmare guy who is he?"

"Nightmare?" Gecko murmured as he came over to them carrying the drinks. "Well, I reckon you'd like him, real sadistic ya know?"

"Hmm…but the question is… does Luna like him?"

"Well I should hope she does," Gecko muttered as he took a quick swig of his drink.

"Oh?" J'J raised and eyebrow. "How so?" he questioned further before he began to gulp at his lemonade.

"Well, for starters… he's kinda her little brother."

All the boys moved away as J'J spat the lemonade in his mouth out in shock.

"Really man?" Gecko growled as he wiped his scales.

"I only just cleaned these goggles," Jack in the box bit out as he pulled them off revealing the colourless eyes that were as black as the night sky, no pupil or iris visible, just pure black.

"Look, he's just her little brother!"

"I know but," J'J shook his head as he wiped his mouth, smearing some of the make up with him. "It's a little shocking. I never even knew my Lu-Lu had a brother, little or big."

"Yeah but considering her history," Scorch muttered as he continued to flick the lighter on and off. "Do you blame her?"

"No… no.." J'J shook his head. "Luna's parents make mine look like saints."

Gecko and everyone gave him a blank look. "I think I speak for the rest of us in the room by saying, no one could make your parents look like saints, no matter what they did."

J'J giggled slight before he rubbed his eyes, blackening his finger tips with the paint that surrounded his bright blue eyes. "I think you're right," he chuckled before looking back at them. "But hell… it's good to keep up appearances."

"Oh they certainly do that," Conner muttered before he drank a bit of his cola.

Suddenly there was a crash from the other side of the room and group turned to glare slightly at the arguing duality twins who lay on the floor arguing again.

J'J sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I'm so glad I don't have a brother or sister… I would of murdered them years ago of course but still the hassle…it's just not worth it."

"Who's turn is it this time to split them up?" questioned Conner. "I can't do it, I'm calling sick," he cried pointing at his arm.

"I think it's Gecko's turn," Scorch butted in before he lit a match and set it on a piece of news paper.

"Me? You sure?"

"Oh I'm pretty sure."

Gecko huffed before he got to his feet lumbering over to the twins. "I'm pretty certain I did it last time."

"And I'm pretty certain ya' didn't," J'J countered as he turned back to his drink, pulling out a pack of playing cards and he began to shuffle them.

Jack in the box leaned over and frowned. "He did last time didn't he?" he whispered.

J'J bit his lip smirking slightly as he nodded his head. "Yep."

"Oh my dear that's terrible, little queen of clubs, terrible!" the blond haired girl shook her head as she poured Jester some tea into her cup, Jester nodding her head as she took the tea away and sipped it a little, gaging from the taste when the blond girl had her back turned.

"I know, so.. I kinda have nowhere to go and I was wondering if there were any rooms free in the inn?" she questioned tilting her head a little to get a better look at the blond who shook her head.

"I'm sorry my friend, but all my spaces are taken up… Jervy is working very hard and he does not want to be disturbed, can't disturb Jervy while he's working and then the Wonderland Gang are taking up all the other rooms and I'm afraid Luna just took the last one a few weeks ago."

Jester nodded her head before sighing and placing the tea down. "It's okay Alice, I'm sure I'll find somewhere… say do you know where the others are staying?"

"As far as I know they're going to the place of dotted stones."

"Ah, the casino. Thanks Alice, I owe you one," Jester called as she picked up her back and waled towards the exit.

"Oh, what you stay for tea?"

"Sorry Alice, I'm late as it is. See ya," she called with a wave of her hand as she left for the Casino.

Of course that would be where the boys would end up.. hell it would be where they would all end up, it usually did with R. who had no where else to go. Oh she hoped Enigma would be okay with both her mum and her dad.

And then there was Nightmare, hell hath no fury then a Scarecrow's scorn.

Oh it will be good to see the others again, she wondered if the twins would be there, probably would.

It never took her long to reach her destination and she was happy to see the lights were on.

She smirked and wondered around the building until she saw a window open and she quickly crawled inside.

The place was well lit and she ran her fingers along the tables as she went, smiling softly when she heard the shouts and cries of her friends.

As she wondered into the main room she saw her friends messing around like usual as they jumped around or made jokes about each other.

It was normal for them to be acting like this, hell Jester would be like this too, sitting back and relaxing with her friends while being nothing but silly idiots in the middle.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jester cried as she came in, slinging her bag over her other shoulders. "You guys miss me?"

"Jester!" cried Jack in the box, a grin spreading across his face.

"Little J, little J! How've you been?!" cried Gecko as he got to his feet giving her a toothy grin as he laid his arms out wide.

"I thought you were staying with Riddles?" J'J questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Jester considered what would happen to her if she said Edward was having a slight mental collapse and in her head all endings were in horrible pain filled deaths around a certain death trap.

"Umm…. I got tired of the riddles ya know, thought why not see my buds again, ya know what I mean?" Jester giggled. "Besides… too many adults is bad for ya."

"Ha! Ya got that right, hence me being here!"

Jester turned and glared slightly at the girl who was dressed very much like a cyberpunk with her bright orange hair up in two pigtails with different coloured pieces of wire or silk falling from them, a pair of purple goggles with sharp studs around the sides of them with bright make up on around the eye, one like a lightning bolt. She was wearing a pair of dungarees with dollar blades on, with bright pink and orange leggings.

"Say April, Moth called… said he wanted his laundry back," Jester giggled as she pointed to the stripped leggings.

April frowned before smirking. "Well… tell him he can't they're just so comfortable!"

"Well… I doubt he needs them now anyway. Being a giant moth and all… could never figure how that happened… still alls well that ends well…" she paused and tapped her chin. "Unless of course Strange has dissected him."

"I heard about that," J'J concluded as he leaned forward from his chair. "Old mothy boy getting an upgrade. Impressive… so much better then his original clothing… I mean… that was just fashion gone wrong."

"Not too far off you're own outfit then?" Gecko muttered as he took a drink from the counter and sipped at it.

J'J narrowed his eyes slightly before sighing and throwing his hands up in the air. "Not that it really concerns me as to what happens to Mothy and if you don't mind my dress sense," he said pointing to his clothes. "Is epic."

Jester rolled her eyes before she grabbed a chair. "It's certainly something… not sure epics the right word but… it's unique is actually the best way I can describe it."

April smirked and skated over to sit in Jack in the box's lap.

"What ya doing here any way, April?" asked Jester as she sat down and picked up a bottle from the bar and began to drink it.

"Oh… Julian's been captured," she glared at the twins who were still arguing. "By their dad," she bit out pointing at them.

The twins suddenly stopped before turning and smiling, before they waved at them, then they went back to fighting.

Jester shook her head. "Oh… what a pity."

"What's a pity?"

J'J grinned and jumped to his feet. "My dark angel of sadistic nature! You have returned my beautiful LU-LU!"

Jester and Luna gave J'J a blank look before Jester turned to Luna with a raised eyebrow. "Pray tell… what exactly do you see in him?"

"I ask myself that same question every time I see him," Luna replied before J'J came running over and scooped her up and span her around in a circle.

"My little Lu-Lu has come back from her shadowy palace! I have missed you!"

"I can tell," Luna deadpanned before glaring. "Put me down J'J!"

"Oh…. but you might run away again and I did miss you terribly!" he cried giving her the puppy dog eyes.

Luna sighed and face palmed. "God give me strength!"

"H- Hello Jester…"

Jester turned to look behind her and saw Nightmare, he was standing hunched almost like he was hiding himself, his hands were clutching his sides and he gave her a weak smile.

Jester blinked. Not the Nightmare she remembered.

"Hi! You okay….?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

He shuffled slightly before nodding. "Yeah.. yeah I'm I'm fine."

"You don't seem fine."

"I'm fine!" he growled his eyes narrowing.

Jester got to her feet and narrowed her own eyes at him. "Listen kid, you just got toxined, anyone is going to be a little shaky after that! Hell even the bat is!"

Nightmare sighed and turned away. "Shouldn't you be with Riddler?"

"No one should be with Eddie at the moment," Jester mumbled before she sat back down. "You got somewhere to stay kid?"

"Umm… no not really."

"Yeah, me neither."

Nightmare blinked in confusion before he sat down next to her looking over at her he quickly turned away. "Can I… can I look inside your head?"

Jester turned to him and raised eyebrow. "From one slightly nutty kid to another…" she mumbled before turning away. "For your own sake… I wouldn't advise looking in here," she tapped her temple. "It's got things in here that I don't even want to think about and I'm sure as hell certain you don't want to either."

Nightmare frowned. "I… I can take it."

Jester looked at him with a dead set look on her face, one that was rare to see on her. "No you can't."

It was blunt, clear crisp answer, something that was deadly and not only that but dangerous coming from Jester.

"So… let me get this straight…" Enigma looked over at Whisper and raised an eyebrow. "You are like a hundred years old."

"Yes."

Enigma blinked before looking him up and down. "You don't look it."

Whisper let his lip twitch upward before turning to her. "Yes.. well I have a little help with that."

"Why are you in here?"

"I chose to come."

"Hmm wish I had a choice."

Whisper turned to her and frowned. "What exactly did you do?"

Enigma paused. She couldn't say why she was really here. "I got set up both me and Jester did and then there was this Vendetta kid… that was weird."

"Wait," Whisper stopped her. "Did you say… Vendetta?"

"Yeah," Enigma said nodding. "He tried to kill me and Jester."

Whisper stared at her in shock before he looked to the floor, he seemed to be working something out in his head and he seemed worried.

"Come on!" he shouted suddenly going off into a sprint.

"What? why? what is it?" asked Enigma as she began to run too frowning in confusion.

"I know who Vendetta is, he's not dead!"

"What?!"

"He's going to return… but this time, I believe it to be worse!"

They both sprinted as fast as they could, Whisper having to wait to help Enigma across the more tricky bits as they ran to the casino.

He had to warn them, he had to warn all of them, it wouldn't just be Vendetta they would have to worry about either if he was right and he was pretty certain he was, they would have to be worry about the children of shadows, which Vendetta was now apart of.

Whisper wasn't silent as he came charging into the casino, Enigma closely behind him.

As soon as he entered the room all the kids stared at him and looked like they were about to kill him before Target stepped in the way.

"Wait, guys! We're friends again, Whisper did it to save my life from his Dad, Ras Al Ghul!"

Enigma went wide eyed. "Your father's Ras Al Ghul?!"

"You know him?"

Enigma shook her head. "My mother does and they are not on friendly terms!"

"Your mother?" Whisper raised an eyebrow before thinking. "Oh right, of course! She is the Sphinx."

"How can you be friends with him?" Luna cried. "He cut your arm off!"

"Forgive and forget right Luna, that was how you were brought up!"

"I never followed it!"

Jester shook her head at the commotion. "Okay, what's going on?!"

"The children of shadows," Whisper concluded. "Three children, all skilled in a certain type of fighting. AKA, Marksman… with anything she can hit you, be it with a bow, a knife, a gun or a wooden stick, she can hit you, Dragon Eye who replaced me about… so many hundreds of years ago, master at blades and now they have a new person, who is skilled in blunts and hand to hand," Whisper gave Jester a grave look. "I believe you know him as Vendetta."

Jester's eyes widened. "Vendetta! He's… he's back?"

"Or will be, soon. Along with AKA and Dragon Eye, it is not safe for any of us," Whisper announced. "They will be sent to get rid of us because we are young! That is what they're trained to do."

Enigma turned to Whisper and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I think you need to tell us everything you know about the Children of Shadows."

Whisper nodded his head in agreement before he beckoned the others to sit down and he began his tale.

T.B.C:

Note: Yeah I know it's been a while and I know there are a lot of my characters in these later chapters and I don't seem to be focusing on Jester, but don't worry all shall be reviled! :D Poor Eddie.. :( Looks like too many losses at the hands of Batman are starting to take their toll on him. And who are the children of shadows?! :0 Hopefully we shall find out soon! :D