The joker started firing shots off in every direction narrowly missing the two teens as they dodged and dived in different directions. They ran to the bikes and started the engines. Harley laughed and Batgirl stopped. "Yea, you better start runnin' cause puddin's been workin' on his shot!" the words hit Batgirl hard and she jumped off her bike. There was no way she was about to let them think she was going to back down.
"Yeah, like I'm taking advice from a guy that's been caught and put in an insane Asylum at least once a month!" she smirked back at him.
Without warning, Slade ran up behind her and twisted her arms around her back and kept her in a tight hold. "Yes but He would have had to escape it for you to have to put him back in, now, wouldn't he?" He kneed her in the back and she fell to her knees. Robin looked on in horror as the joker put the gun to her head. He was about to pull the trigger but stopped. "Actually, this isn't much fun. It's too easy. Let her go." He said with relish.
Slade just looked out over the top of her head. "Let her go? But she's right here! Finish the job now!" he said in a very threatening voice.
"Slade, this is just a game to me. I don't care about anything else. Just like a sport. So, let the little batgirl go."said the Joker with an actual serious face. Slade dropped her and she rubbed her shoulder. She looked up at the three villains as they started off(except Harley, who had decided this wasn't fun.).
It was about 10 seconds before she finally snapped to her senses. Robin came over and helped her up. "I can't believe it…. they let me go? After all that, they let me go. This is insane…" She said, incredulously.
Robin glanced at the empty street. "Well, It's all over now, whatever it was." He looked at his communicator. 11 pm… he needed to call the others. "Titans, it's Robin. Where are you? We've been here for ever!"
Cyborg showed up on the screen. "We're tryin' to find you man! Slade made his drones attack the square so we couldn't just leave…Is everything ok?" Robin glanced back towards Batgirl who was still standing shocked at what had just happened. "Yeah, I guess so. We had a run in with the joker but I guess we're ok.." For now…
Cyborg nodded and yawned. "Great. Well we're gonna go back to the tower if that's ok with you. It's kinda late if you haven't noticed…you guys going to head back?" He waited for his leaders answer.
Robin turned around and looked to Batgirl for an answer. "So? Are we heading back home or what?" She turned his direction and looked him in the eye. "You can if you need too. I've got to find the Joker and his little circus gang before they can cause anymore damage…there's not time for me to rest." Robin stared at her. She was so stubborn! She acts like me…she's not going to give up until he's down and everyone's safe…or until she kills herself…
"Well I'm not leaving you alone out here to fight him by yourself." he turned back to his communicator. "I'll be home later. We're going to search the city for the clown." Cyborg yawned again. "Alright man, be careful." The screen went black.
"So where do we start?" He asked batgirl.
"I guess that way." She pointed in the direction the Joker had run off in. Robin got on his bike. "Lets go." She got on hers and revved up the engine. "Wait." Robin turned and looked over at her. "Yeah?"She looked at him through her mask. "You do know you didn't have to do that right? I mean…this is Gotham City. I practically run the place… you don't have to waist your energy on this…"
Boy was he glad to have his helmet on. He had turned so red that time that he would have put Satan to shame. "No, really, It's cool. I wouldn't have much to do at the tower anyway. Now come on…we have a clown to catch…you'd think a guy in a purple suit wouldn't be hard to find…." She smiled and they sped off into the night.
Slade and the Joker stood in a run down section of Gotham City Park, waiting to spring the trap they had set for the two heroes. "Why can we not just kill her and get it over with? OR we could just capture Robin and make him my apprentice, like I wanted to in the first place…" the tired assassin whined.
"No, no. That won't work. I want him around for reasons of my own…I want to cause batsey as much pain as potentially possible…And in doing that, I can cause the Big Bat a LOT of pain…I have a debt to pay!" Joker said, smiling in a grim way.
"Oh yes, and besides, this is WAY more fun…" Slade said sarcastically. "Do you really think they're ever going to find-
The joker slapped a hand over Slade's mouth. "Be quiet! Here they come." And sure enough, the heroes' bikes came speeding through the thick undergrowth that had gown up since the city had abandoned it. No one ever came into this part of the park. It had become too dangerous.
"So where do you think they would go?" the Joker heard Robin say. He tried to hold back his laughter. "This is just too good Slade. When do you think they'll realize that we're-
"Down here?" Batgirl finished his sentence and punched him square in the face. He felt his nose break. She finished up by knocking him to the ground where Robin stood waiting. The boy wonder kicked his opponent as he fell and he slammed into the tree. He was unconscious.
The two wonders kept fighting, weaving in and out of the bushes and dodging blows by Slade. Punch after punch, kick after kick they fought. As Robin was taking over the battle Batgirl looked around. They were a lot closer to the city than she thought. "Robin!" he knocked Slade unconscious and gave her his attention. "We're too close to the city! We need to go farther in, or the people are going to get messed up in thi-… Robin, where's the clown?" she said, worry in her voice.
Oh crap…
"You know…you might want to keep an eye on a handsome devil like that one." BANG. He shot and hit a tree, splintering some of the limbs. He had missed Robin by only a couple of inches. The boy stood there wide-eyed, still trying to figure out what had just happened.
The Joker laughed at his confusion and pushed batgirl to the ground next to him. He pointed the gun at them and started to put his finger on the trigger.
"Um...Robin?" Batgirl whispered. He stepped back a foot.
The joker kneeled slowly, keeping his eyes on his prey.
"Yeah?" He slowly helped Batgirl up. "Lets go!" She grabbed his hand and they took off,as the joker started firing off shots everywhere.
Poisonous bullets whizzed past them as they ran into a clearing. "Do you think we lost them?" She asked panting hard. "Batsie-girl..thats impossible! We're thick as thieves, you and I!" The Joker and Slade jumped down behind them. "Really, did you expect me to leave you alone? Oh, Batman used to be my target. Yes, you were in my way. And do you know what? You have replaced the big bat."
Batgirl rolled her eyes and watched as the clown and Slade circled them. She and Robin still stood in their battle stances, ready to fight if he attacked.
"Ok, so tell me…How have I replaced him?" she asked, glaring at his ghastly face. Paler than ever, it had a triumphant look upon it. What in the world? How is he happy? I have no clue what he's about to do…He's trapped us!
"Oh, in so many ways batty-girl. The guy's getting old and well, I need a new challenge. When we met, batman and I, I swore not to kill him, just cause as much pain as possible…well, he doesn't like it, and he's not a good sport! I need someone who's out to kill me, not throw me back in that fun house! I'm much too good for that place; they don't deserve my infamy…" he explained.
Batgirl just stood there taking it all in and glaring. "Kill you? No, no Joker. Your not even good enough for that…neither one of you" she spat, glaring now at both of the villains. The Joker stopped pacing and got in her face. "But you know you want to…deep inside you want me dead…"
Slade was suddenly interested. "Just like Robin wants to kill me…" Robin glared at him and reached his hand into the back of his belt. "Like she said," he pulled out his staff and slammed Slade as hard as he could across the chest. "Neither of you are good enough for that."
The joker started firing off his crazy gun again, and Slade, still recovering from the blow, jumped in to help. Robin jumped into a tree and waited for Slade to follow. I hope Batgirl's ok with the Joker…I kind of left her alone… he glanced around. They were nowhere to be seen.
"Looking for your little friend?" Slade came from behind him and hit him on the back of the head with his staff. Robin, surprised from the sudden attack, fell out of the tree and landed on his back with his arm under him. He felt his arm break. Great…now how am I supposed to fight… He rolled over and picked himself up watching as Slade stood, still in the tree, taunting Robin.
"Robin, Robin, Robin…. Aren't you supposed to be the hero? I thought your mentor would have given you more training before he let you go solo…Oh wait! He didn't, did he? You screwed up so bad he kicked you off of his team…he's probably looking for someone to replace you now…" He stood on the limb he had been sitting on. "There's no way he'd take you back…I'm sure he'll find a better sidekick eventually…"
Unfortunately for him, batgirl was hiding in another tree not too far away. She threw a batarang at the limb he was on. It snapped and he fell to the ground as she came out from hiding and stood on his chest pinning him down with only one foot. "Too bad."
Slade looked confused. "Too bad? Too bad what? Robin was not suited for this job therefore his mentor fired him.
Batgirl started to kick him and said, "He won't find anyone as good as Robin." Slade grabbed her foot, drug her down, and stood up. He kept his staff at her throat. "I wasn't finished. As I was saying, He's going to have to find a new partner-"
WHAM! Batgirl knocked him unconscious.
"Well, aren't we having fun?" The Joker fired off a shot that batgirl easily dodged.
" Yea Joker, It is a bundle of joy to beat you.Why you think this is a load of laughs I'll never understand." she yelled as she slammed her foot into his side. He fell back, gun in hand. She brought her foot down on his shoulder, popping it out of joint. "Still having fun?" She asked, with hatred in her eyes.
Robin stood behind her, amazed that she could get so into a fight. She used to only fight to get it over with! What did he do to her to make her like this? His train of thought broke as Batgirl was thrown into him. They landed in a pile at Slade's feet. Robin jumped up and kicked Slade, knocking him out. "You ok?" The boy wonder helped her up with his good arm.
"Yea, I'm fine…" She stood tall and glared across the clearing at the Joker, who looked back laughing. She looked murderous. "Uh…Batgirl…" Robin asked cautiously. "Are you sure your-
She was already gone, pulling out her bo-staff and slamming it into the Joker's side. He was taken aback and fired the gun the bullet hitting the ground inches away from where Robin was standing. "Oh, good job batgirl! You almost shot your little boyfriend!"
She flew through the air with a spin kick. "One, he is not my boyfriend and two…" She punched him. "You're the one with bad aim!" She landed on her feet, breathing heavily. She braced herself, ready to strike again but the Joker hit first. She reeled back but recovered quickly, jumping over him and kicking the gun out of his hands. It landed near the edge of the clearing. She attacked again and pinned him to a tree, one hand around his neck, the other holding a batarang in her fist with the three sharpest sides sticking out between her fingers.
Robin, still watching the fight, was unaware that Slade had gotten back on his feet. The young wonder was knocked to the ground, taking a punch in his mid back, with Slade standing over him. He tried to stand but the assassin's foot kept him pinned down his face hovered above his own, again taunting him. The Joker looked over and grinned as he dodged another blow from the enraged Batgirl. "Now?" Slade asked, looking down evilly at Robin. The Joker's grin widened as he shook his head.
"Look Brat girl! You have a choice to make! Save your friend…and let me get my gun back" he motioned to Robin, still struggling helplessly under Slade's foot. "…or get the gun, and leave poor Robin to the mercy of my pal over there." Slade moved his foot up to Robin's throat. Batgirl looked back from the gun to Robin who now had his eyes clamped tight and was gasping for air. "How about I win both ways?" She yelled as ran toward Slade and Robin. The Joker laughed and ran to his gun.
Batgirl skidded to a halt and pulled out her bo-staff again. "Back off him Slade…" She ordered with fire in her eyes. "NO. I've waited too long." He pressed down harder. "Big mistake." Batgirl slammed her fist as hard as she could into his face. He fell off Robin, hit a tree, and slid to the ground, unconscious. Batgirl knelt by Robin's side. She checked his pulse on his neck. Getting back to normal quickly…man I am going to kill that clown…
Robin sat up slowly and massaged his throat. "Thanks for that…" he said, standing next to Batgirl who once again glared at the clown, now holding the deadly looking gun. "O great choice batchic! So NOBLE of you! Too bad it was all for nothing! AHAHAHAHA." He ran towards them, gun held high.
Batgirl pulled out a batarang and threw it at him. It exploded and he hit tree, hard. The smug look was gone off his face and now HE was the one looking murderous. He got back to his feet and raised the gun. "Now it's my turn to have fun!" He shot it in Batgirl's direction, but she just dodged it. "Please! Just because you have a gun doesn't mean you'll be able to hit me!" She screamed, kicking at him but hitting the tree as he dodged. She kicked at him again, this time catching the side of his abdomen. It winded him and she punched the back of his head, making him even angrier. "Like I said. Bad aim."
Robin joined in and hit the clown squarely in the jaw. The three threw more blows each giving some, each taking. Batgirl flipped away from tangle, trying to regain her breath. As the Joker ran past Robin, trying to get to batgirl, the boy wonder took his chance. Robin tripped him easily, sending the joker flying into the mud. "How's that dirt taste Mr.Funnybones?"
"I'm getting tired of this" Dazed but with a dangerous look on his face, the Ace of Knaves stood and fired the gun one more time. This time the bullet hit it's target. "Hoped you enjoyed that fight bird-boy…it's most likely going to be your last."
WAHHOOOOOO! Sorry about re-doing this chapter…I had started writing this almost HALF A YEAR ago and lost the disk it was on….so, I started re-writing it…then I found this and I liked parts of it better, so I meshed the 2 together!
-Some people want to know why I keep calling her Dove. This batgirl is NOT Barbara Gordon…she'll come in later (maybe the next chapter.) Robin will only call her Dove in his thoughts or when they are alone. I'll explain why later.
-Back in black is NOT referring to batgirl. I'll explain the meaning of it at the end if you can't figure it out. Thanks you guys!