Chapter 4: Only Good Plans Finish With a BANG!
Joker Apprenticeship, day 92.
Parker felt like she had been hit by a semi-trailer towing a wrecking ball. She coughed up blood onto the floor in front of her. She took a moment to compose herself, as she tried, and failed, to find a part of her body that didn't hurt.
It had been 3 months and she hadn't seen the Joker since he dropped her off at this warehouse filled with his henchmen. Boots appeared in her field of vision.
"Get up you brat," It was the biggest of them all, her designated trainer. "Joker doesn't want a disappointment."
Parker hated that phrase, it was all she heard. In fact, the second week she was here, they made her write it on the wall in her own blood after she failed to hit a bulls eye that was as small as a fly.
Fury filled Parker, and faster than her trainer could think, she was leaping at him. Her fists and her feet didn't stop hitting him. He tried to defend himself, but she wouldn't let up. One of her kicks landed him against the wall with all the weapons. He grabbed a knife and tried to attack her, but she avoided every lunge with flips and tricks that would impressive even the best acrobat.
Finally she was able to wrestle the knife out of his hand, and soon he was on the ground, the knife pressed against his throat.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now," Parker growled, a thin trickle of blood already forming at his throat.
A slow clap startled her out of her madness. Parker pulled herself into a defensive stance out of reach of her trainer.
"Now that's exactly what I want to see," A man stepped out of the shadows, "I think it's time for the next part of you training." Parker stood upright.
"Whatever you say, Mister J."
"Mister J, I like that! Now, follow me, we move onto the next part of your training." Parker followed Joker out of the room, but she looked back to see the man who had tormented her for the last three months still lying on the ground, barely breathing.
"Child, here is your first lesson," Joker grabbed her chin and held her gaze hostage with his, "Don't ever look at the mess behind you."
Present Day:
Parker stood in front of the floor length mirror. She sent a glare to her uniform that was hanging next to it. Talking with her surrogate younger brother made her feel that her once perfect life was now nothing more than a nightmare. She heaved a heavy sigh before slowly pulling on her uniform. Her hair was then pulled into the two pony tails before she coloured them her signature green and purple. Pale white foundation followed by red lipstick was put on.
Parker tensed as she heard a cackle coming from the hallway. She hurriedly pulled on her gloves and boots, followed by her utility belt. The sound on Joker's fingernails running down her door was her cue to come out.
"And how are we, my dear?" He asked, his madman façade fading slightly. Mayhem nodded with a small smile on her face.
"I'm great Mister J,"
"Excellent," his grin grew as he spoke his next words, "Now we must hurry, there is an important business meeting that we must attend."
Mayhem tipped her head slightly to the side, but shrugged as she fell into step slightly behind her mentor.
"Sounds great Mister J, lead the way."
Joker lead the way to a car where he climbed into the back and motioned for her to take the front passengers seat. Catching sight of Harley Quinn in the back seat, Mayhem grinned at her.
The reached their destination, yet another warehouse. Inside was a large round table, and seated around it were some of the worst villains the world had ever seen, with a bodyguard behind each of them. All of them looked up to watch Joker, Mayhem and Harley enter the room, it was clear that they were waiting for them.
"Let's get straight to business," Joker said, he and Harley taking the last two seats at the table, Mayhem standing behind them, her grin firmly in place.
"So I gathered you all here for one reason. The Justice League needs to be taken down, that way we can make the world a much happier place," Joker paused, "for us."
"How do you propose that we get rid of the Justice League?" An older man asked.
"Mayhem, how do you think we would do this?" Joker asked. Mayhem approached the table, placed one had on the table and motioned all the others to lean closer, as if she was telling a secret.
"BANG!" Her voice was loud and clear, making almost everyone jump. Both Mayhem and Joker cackled before taking she took her placed behind Joker once again.
"We must kill the Justice League publically."
"How do we do that? It has never worked for us before." A woman asked.
"It's really quite simple," Joker began and as he explained the plan, everyone around the table nodded, agreeing to help whatever way they can.
"This will not end well... for the Justice League," Mayhem said, dread sitting in the pit of her stomach.
Mayhem was running as if her life depended on it, even though in that moment, she felt more like Parker playing dress-ups. She had ditched her skirt a few blocks back, and she had stolen a black hoodie from a couple of houses before that. As she pulled it on and tugged the hood over her pony tails, she grimaced to see the bat symbol on it, but at that point of time she couldn't choose to be fussy.
Parker breathed out a silent sigh of relief as she made it to the Bat Signal undetected. She crouched in the shadows, waiting, watching, wondering if she was making the right choice. Not a sound was made, but she felt as if she was being surrounded. Clutching her knife, and trusting her instincts, she called out softly;
"Nightwing?"
A figure stepped lightly out of the shadows, the blue bird on his chest revealing that it was in fact him. Robin then stepped out from behind Nightwing as well.
"I have something really important to tell you," Parker admitted softly as she approached the two birds.
"Wait," Nightwing interrupted her, "Let's get to another building, I believe this one has ears."
Parker nodded her consent. Nightwing produced a piece of black cloth, making Parker raise an eyebrow.
"It's a blindfold." He explained.
"I can see that, I'm crazy, not stupid" Mayhem retorted, "what I mean is why am I wearing a blindfold?"
"Batman isn't sure whether or not he trusts you, so until then, we blindfold you, and take you to an undisclosed location, so you don't lure us into a trap" Robin had put on a fake deep voice and puffed up his chest, causing a giggle to escape Parker at the sheer cuteness.
"Sounds like you have heard that a lot." Parker queried. He nodded.
"You have no idea." Parker shrugged and turned to Nightwing.
"Proceed," Parker said, attempting a posh English accent. Nightwing laughed.
"And what are you supposed to be?" He asked.
"A Princess, after all I am supposed to be the Clown Princess of Mayhem." She made a 'duh' face behind the blindfold, smiling when she heard both birds laugh. She then felt a pair of hands take her.
"I'm going to have to give you a piggy back." Nightwing said. Strong shoulders were placed under her hands and she jumped lightly onto Nightwings back. She then wrapped her legs around his waist, adjusting her arms so she wouldn't choke him.
"Ready?" Nightwing asked.
"Ready? I was born ready." She replied, laughing when she heard Robin's groan behind her.
"That's so lame" he said, and Parker could imagine him face palming.
Parker couldn't help but laugh as she felt Nightwing leap off the building. She held on tight as he let go of her knees to use a grappling line. They swung, and for the first time since she became Joker's apprentice did her really enjoy not knowing, or caring where they were going. Her free ride was over all too soon.
After she was told to hop down, she ripped the blindfold off. And again, she was in another warehouse.
"You had something that you needed to tell us?" Nightwing began.
Quickly and softly, Parker related all that had happened a few hours ago.
"Who exactly was there?" Nightwing interrogated, a holographic screen appearing on his wrist.
"Wow, that's cool! Can I have one?" Parker enquired, a cheeky, innocent grin on her face.
"No, who was there?" Nightwing repeated.
"Damn," Parker muttered under her breath, and she watched him deftly typed up all the names that she listed. She could see profiles come up, photos, names, aliases, associates.
"I assume you have a file on me?" Parker remarked, a single eyebrow raised in question.
"Yep," Nightwing retorted, "But if it makes you feel better, we didn't have your full name, until boy wonder here figured out who you were."
"Oh, wow, so the Bats don't know everything?" Parker's grin was teasing, showing she meant no harm. She was rewarded with a smirk from Nightwing.
"Robin, go and meet Batman and explain what's happening. I'm going to get Mayhem out of here and then I'll catch up with you." Nightwing turned back to Parker with the blindfold in his hands again.
"Wait, I thought you were going to help me get out of being the Joker's Protégé." Parker interupted, one hand on her hip the other held out in front of her to stop Nightwing coming closer.
"I am, but we need to talk to Batman about what you just told us. Batman might need someone inside to find out the details of what's going to happen, that way we can prevent it. And you being the Joker's Protégé, you get access we can even hope to get if we sent someone undercover." Nightwing explained
"I hate that what you just said makes sense." Parker huffed, stomping her foot. She let another smile loose at Nightwing, showing she wasn't being serious.
When she was able to take her blindfold off, they were back at the Bat Signal.
"Thanks for telling us," Nightwing said. Parker shrugged a shoulder nonchantly.
"No probs, I don't know about you, but I'd rather live in a world with the Justice League protecting it more than a world that psychopaths run"
"Here," Nightwing handed her a small communicator that easily fit in her ear.
"We'll contact you on this if we need to, but for the moment, try and find out as much as you can but be careful so as not to expose yourself." Nightwing explained. Parker nodded in agreement.
"Easy peasy," She put the communicator in her ear and turned away from Nightwing.
"Night Mini Bats" she called over her shoulder as she walked to the roof edge.
"Night Little Miss Crazy," Nightwing retorted, a chuckle in his voice.
"Now, I'm off to find my skirt that I dumped earlier!" Parker gave a two-fingered salute to Nightwing and fell backwards off the roof.
As she soared over roof tops, Parker didn't look back, rather she faced forward, wishing she was as free as the wind that brushed her face.
AN: Sorry i couldn't get this one how i imagined it, but this will have to do!
and in other news, who else is excited for BVS (AHHHH SO EXCITED) and Batman: The Killing Joke!? I just watched Batman: Bad Blood and i cant wait to see Batgirl in action!