Okay, so this next chapter contains mature themes I guess. Just a warning if you do not like discussions of suicide/ self-harm. Anyway hope you like the next chapter.
The girl sat in the dark, lonely alleyway. The floor was black and damp and she was pretty sure she was sitting on layers of dirt. But she didn't care. She had just watched a man be shot in the head. But she didn't care. In a way she thought it served his own right for making fun of her. Was she cruel for thinking that way? Maybe. But she didn't care.
She was staring at her wrists. The faded scars. Some were small. And some were disturbingly big. Although faded they showed up more in the cold becoming whiter. She remembered slicing them. The numb feeling of just not caring. She felt like it now. Numb and alone.
The girl's ears pricked up when she heard something behind her. She slowly glanced round to see a figure. Even in the dark, the grin was clear. "Well hello. You took off in such a hurry I didn't even catch your name" said the Joker playfully. The girl stayed silent watching him closely. The Joker sighed and sat himself next to her on the floor. "I guess I'll have to think of one for you. Now 'kid' seems a little too…boring". The girl remained silent. She just kept watching him. "Hmm…ok. How about tiger?" he said while running his gloved finger over her wrist. The girl flinched from his touch and hugged her stomach so that she could hide her wrists.
The Joker brought his hand to his mouth covering it exaggeratingly. "Oooo, was that a bad joke. Did I cross a line"? The girl's serious face turned into a nervous smile, followed by a small giggle. "See I knew there was a personality in there somewhere. But seriously…why the stripes?" he said tapping his own wrists. The girl's eyes turned sad. "I don't know. I just had enough". The Joker cackled making the girl nudge away from him slightly. "You know, I could kill you. Give you a nice smile and boom! Your face hits the papers. You would be the poor girl, killed by the psychotic Joker!". The girl smirked. "As lovely as that offer is…..I would like to be the one in control of my life and how it ends. I don't think that makes sense but it does to me".
The Joker bounced up from his sitting position. "Ah. That's why I like you! I think you could be like another set of limbs to me. Imagine!". The girl stood up. "I think I better go". The Joker grabbed her arm pulling her closer. "I'll let you go. But where are you going to go? Back to chuck's seedy bar where everyone laughs at you? I can teach you to be a clown that everyone fears and yet they can't look away from you. Your true nature is lying just beneath the surface. And she wants to come out and play". He had snarled the words in her ear quietly. She felt him release her arm.
They both stared at each other until the girl cracked a smile. "You know, I don't think I have genuinely smiled like this in a long time. I don't know why but I'm with you Joker". The Joker's eyes flashed with excitement. "So I'm going to need a name?" he said, tilting his head. The girl bit her lip. "Okay, its-". He quickly cut her off by holding a blade to her lips. "Lesson number 1. I want a perfect female Joker. So no name. One of the things that drew me to you. The people of Gotham will choose your name. Just like they did for me". The girl nodded, trembling from the cold touch of the blade.
The Joker grinned, placing the blade in her small hand. "Lesson number 2. A knife is not your enemy. Its happens to be my best friend".
The girl was terrified but never had she felt more alive. His words were enchanting. Warped for sure. But made perfect sense. She wanted to help him take back the city. She didn't think she was like him in the slightest but she was pretty sure she would be after the twisted lessons from him.
"So what are you going to call me?" she asked trying to sound brave. The Joker didn't stop walking and didn't look back. "For now. Until the gothamites decide…..'J'". The girl smiled to herself. She liked it. "Would you like to keep up J. lots to be done" he called back seriously. As he heard the girls footsteps running to keep up behind him his scars stretched until it hurt him a little. Vulnerable minds were so easy to manipulate. And he knew he had hit the jackpot with J. She was a ticking time bomb.