Falling apart Ch4

Batman eyed the police cars surrounding The Iceberg lounge, Oswald Cobblepot was ranting maliciously about the ferocious attack he had received from the Crown Prince of Crime and his newest accomplice Detective Jocylnn Fae Cuer. Batman rolled his eyes, he watched one of the policeman taking notes from the 'victim', the pad had a drawing with a hangman surrounded by flies. He swooped down to the nearby alley, it stank with fish and wet cat smell. As it turns out he wasn't alone.

"Well, If it isn't the caped-clod himself" A snigger bounced around chasing the voice by the tail. Batman whirled around on his heels; a dark figure crouched on the top of the neighboring building just barely out-lined by the moonlight. "Here we are Batman"

The figure leaped from different window sills and fire escapes. Finally a face appeared in the dim street light. "I know you, you're from Amestria. What do you want from Joker?"

"Hmm, well as it turns out your little clown friend is just a pawn, it's the other one father has a bone to pick with." The Homunculus grimaced at the mention of Jocylnn. "My name's Envy, and we have a message…"He cleared his throat "Stay out of the way you insect," Envy spoke in a monotone-reading-from-a-script-tone "your city is ours give up, it's over" Envy smiled revealing perfect white teeth "Ya know, I really hate your type… so pathetic. Even still revered as 'the crown creation'" Air quotes. "But really nothing more than a loony in a rodent costume and a geezer in need of a long retirement" He started back into the darkness.

Batman gritted his teeth, "Come back you slime!"

Envy stopped "Do you hate me Bruce? Yes I know…" He turned but his features changed. "…as a matter o'fact I'm what made you the success you are today!" Envys face had twisted into the gang member from nearly fifteen years ago, a face he hadn't seen since his parents died.

Suddenly Batman wasn't there anymore, it was Bruce Wayne. He was alone with nothing but rage clawing at the cage he had locked it up in when he was thirteen. Before he could think it through he lunged at Envy, he punched harder then he would've let himself. No matter what he did, Envy didn't seem hurt. Out of breath he paused "Fight back!"

Envy wiped his mouth removing any blood that had spilled, and stood at full height. "Why? We both know you can't win" He laughed.

Batman threw some more punches landing on his jaw stomach and the base of his neck.

Envy fell to the ground laughing, "See?"

It was quiet, Envy looked to see Batman calm and in control again. "No, it's us, humanity, that's winning. That is why you hate me and anyone who stands up for good." He grabbed Envy by his throat. "It's the light, which shines to bright for the darkness, that compels you to kill, steal and destroy. Because there is something that you cannot defeat…" Envy abruptly stopped grinning. "…and now I have you and no one will save you" Shadows grew and crept up the side of the building.

"Batman, I believe you just slipped up" Envy swung a concrete fist that sent the bat flying into the opposite wall. He stepped over his limp body, his arm transformed into a huge lance, Envy plunged it into his chest.

"ENVY!" As Batmans consciousness slowly slipped away the shrill female voice shot out from the shadows "Father said not to kill this one"

"Yeah, Father doesn't have to know…"

The argument continued, but The Dark Knight slowly fell into oblivion.

Black

Bruce Wayne awoke in his room, he examined his chest, nothing. Was it all just a dream?

"Good morning sir, rough night" Alfred entered the room with a tray full of breakfast.

"So, it wasn't a nightmare" Bruce picked up the fork as he dug into his fresh waffles and strawberries.

"That's what I want to know Master Bruce" He nodded to a small leather bound book on the nightstand. Wayne put down his food and retrieved the small book and opened it to the book marked page at the top it read.

Bruce Wanye lived; despite the cruel beating received the night before, he awoke the next morning in bed…

Bruce flipped to the cover and read the title aloud "Book of Histories"

Jocylnn woke up four hours later in a small cot; she stared at the green ceiling holding her hand up above her face. She retracted and attracted her claws slowly. I'm soooooo sorry Luc… Over the years she had learned to control her Lycanthropy but once in-a- millennia it got the best of her. She sat up and noted her surroundings; the room probably used to be an old dressing room. Aside from the cot there was a mirror, sink, wardrobe and a couple of different posters on the walls… and ceiling. A huge Joker poster hung right above where she was sleeping. Jocylnn shot up out of bed, after ripping off the portrait from the ceiling she regained her composure she pushed open the door to the slightly-remodeled lobby. In the center sat a table, three chairs containing her favorite freaks and a small kitchen. Jocylnn pulled up a chair that had been thrown across the lobby previously.

The Joker peered over his newspaper he happened to be reading upside-down "Wow you look like hell"

"Huh, that's funny, I feel like boiled crap" Jocylnn laid her head on the table. "So what's the plan today?"

"Plan? HA! Now that's funny" He returned to reading his paper, Jocylnn groaned. The Joker looked up again and asked "Actually that reminds me, what's for breakfast?"

"What?" Jocylnn looked up in disbelief.

"You heard me, I'll take some eggs and pancakes"

The two hench-clowns ordered "Pancakes for me too!"

"What about crepes?"

Jocylnn sat up slowly rolling her back, her tangled hair fell across her face like a blonde version of The Grudge. "Pardon? I don't think chef was in my job description"

The Joker set down the paper and gazed at her with mischievous essence. "You're an alchemist right? Just zap us up some breaky"

"I specialize in energy, unless you want a couple of high-watt light bulbs you're screwed" Jocylnn leaned back in her chair and let Joker ponder this.

"…So… Do it the old fashion way"

Jocylnn stood "Fine" simply fine and she walked into the kitchen, she came back out with the food and slid it over to its hungry consumer. The hench-clowns dug in and stuffed their faces with an incredible speed. The Joker mused over his meal; finally Jocylnn spoke up "What? Did his majesty change his mind?"

"To be honest" He looked up at her distantly "I just remembered something...I think"

"Izzat so?" She looked meticulously over her nails trying to ignore the queasy feeling in her stomach.

"You think I'm lying?!" The Joker demanded.

"It wouldn't be a first boss" a hench-clown said in between bites.

"Shut up nobody asked you!" He spat back.

"No Joker, I just think…"

"Oh NO! I see how it is!" The Joker got up and crossed to the other side of the table. "I may be insane but I'm not crazy! And I'm not gonna take B.S. from you either!" He grabbed her by her collar.

"So you think just cause you're all big and bad that you can just push me around and intimidate me huh?" The truth was she was very intimidated, but she didn't want him to have the satisfaction of knowing that. "Well I got news for you!" A volt of electricity penetrated his body and threw him backwards into a pile of boxes and gag material. "NOT gonna happen!"

The Joker picked himself up slowly, he was in pain, and stood wavering a little. Jocylnn had expected either rage or possibly hysterics; instead he surprised her with a look of complete and utter wonder.

"Heh, that was… shocking" He chuckled a little his voice cracked some what.

Jocylnn shook her head and let another smile play across her lips "Yeah, sure, whatever…"

"Fine, we'll do this your way" He straitened up and walked confidently to her then wrapped her in his arms, oh Jesus! Help! "I'm so sorry darling" As he looked at her and batted his eyelashes "Lets kiss and make up!"

Jocylnn pulled away "I'm sorry I would, but I might throw up on you"

"Sheesh, your loss" He shrugged and walked into his room.

Jocylnn looked over at the hench-clowns, they seemed to have shrunken away in horror. "Gee, I've never seen anything like that with the boss before, at least not like that"

The second one started making kissy noises, Jocylnn quickly fired back "Shut up nobody asked you!" She had given them the death stare, cueing them to back off.

"Jocylnn! C'mere, we've got to discuss our break-in at G.C.S.!" Jocylnn followed Jokers voice into his room ignoring the sniggers behind her.

She entered the room observing the highly decorated walls, ceiling and floor. Everything was covered in newspapers and blue prints. Clearly he had been editing them in his spare time; most of them were smothered by side comments, scribbles and smiley faces. At one end of the room sat a writing desk with the brief case from the other night, She sat down at one of the chairs at the desk.

The chair on the other side swiveled around, The Joker put up his feet and gestured towards the brief case. "Well? Are you going to open it or not?"

"I was…" Jocylnn crossed her legs and watched the case carefully. She started rubbing her wrists again "…But I remembered something awhile back in training… These things are sixty-seven percent of the time rigged, unless we have a way to know whether or not-"

"Blah, blah, blah! You know that statistics are made up on the spot fourteen percent of the time right?" Joker scoffed.

"Alrighty then, you open it!" She pushed it over to him and crossed her arms.

Nothing happened; finally Joker sighed and opened up the case "You and your procedures… look nothing!" He flipped the case around revealing a bunch of neatly stacked papers and a pair of I.D. cards.

Jocylnn picked up the first and examined it skeptically "Phoebe Van Truska, wow I'm twenty-one, have a masters in Physical Therapy, and a minor in Art… what a load of crap." She giggled a little and placed it to one side. "Who are you?"

"Um, I'm a security guard, Keith something…"He smirked "I know this guy, I broke his nose last time he was at Arkham!" He laughed violently "This poor bastard was transferred to G.C.S. after Dr. Arkham told he wasn't cut out for this job!"

"So these people are associated with G.C.S. huh?"

"He was knocked out cold for the next ten minutes! Ha! Ha! From what I remember he was a light-weight too! Me and some of the other inmates slipped him a little bit too much Budweiser and next thing you know he's stumbling around the hallways yelling out-"

"Wow that's fascinating, really it is, but being that I don't want to get thrown into the pokey for attempting to steal something I didn't even want to in the first place…" Jocylnn rubbed her wrists, and groaned something about it being to early for this.

"You're just a constant pessimistic bitch huh?" He remarked obviously irritated by her lack of interest.

Joclynn grinned "more than you want to know doll face"

He raised an eyebrow but let it go and continued "I don't know, it was in the case so I'm assuming…" Jocylnn coughed and repressed a smirk. "What?"

"It's really annoying when you assume these things"

"Shut up, you're really not that funny dearest"

"I'm just saying that we…you shouldn't be so quick trust Penguin… this whole thing sounds messed up and rigged"

"Pfft, please give me some more credit than that. I know these plans are rigged and that's why I asked specifically for them." He dug out a couple of blue prints. "Look, he says we should go through this hallway here…" He pointed to a narrow corridor on the eastern side of the building. "But my sources tell me…" From one of the desk compartments he pulled out another blueprint. "…that it doesn't even exist."

He laid them out in front of her, examining them both carefully she inquired "So why even ask for them in the first place?"

"Well that's the gag isn't it?" He chuckled like he told himself an inside joke "Telling the truth from the lies"

Story of my life, Jocylnn examined the following blue prints. "I get it…"

Jocylnn watched Joker sort through the others papers and blueprints "Penguin must've thought that you most of the details here so he added them in to be more or less convincing… but seeing as you didn't have that in the first place they were more helpful than misleading, and you having done multiple… um… schemes with him, you know his psyche well enough to tell when he's lying."

The Joker paused to process this "Yup, brilliant Sherlock. You're a credit to society a true, blue genius for sure"

"That still leaves one problem… who's got it in for us? I seriously doubt Penguin got this information first hand."

"That's why I never trust anyone... but even if we are set up, who cares?! We always have plan B"

"Plan B?"

Joker made a gun with his fingers and aimed at a Batman newspaper article on the wall "Blow up and/or shoot anything that gets in our way" A grinned grew on his face wildly, he laughed suddenly and spasmodically. As contagious as a cold in first grade, Jocylnn joined in softly.

"I still don't get it" After regaining control The Joker continued with a new train of thought. "The locket of blood right… that's suppose to bring your sister back?"

Jocylnn hesitated to reply "No… it's complicated…"

"So simplify it"

"Do you remember the Raison Strain?"