Life had become fairly routine for Jade.
Well, excluding the occasional breakdowns, brutal punishments, and embarrassing moments of her incompetence shining brightly through from time to time, one could say she was living an exceptionally normal life.
She briefly thought of her accident at Ace Chemical, her face frowning up instantly at the painful memory.
Her transformation had been swift, but it was everything but painless.
When Harley "rescued" her, Jade's skin had blistered severely, as the unknown chemicals inside the tub she fell into burned her skin, and her hot oil bath treatments Harley forced her to take daily made her blisters explode and her skin peel.
On the plus side, when her skin had completely peeled, and her eyes cleared of the hazy fog, she realized with slight mortification that she had blossomed into something magical, if not horrifying as well.
Her hair had grown tremendously within the last couple of months, and to her dismay the purple dye remained, her chemically burned scalp causing the unnatural color to grow out along with it.
This of course caused her to have a breakdown, to which resulted in Harley attempting to calm her down by explaining that the chemicals affected everyone differently, and that it was probably her own unique side affect.
And when that didn't work, The Joker's harsh scolding forced her to accept the new change without room for argument.
Usually, her jobs were harsh sometimes but reasonably simple.
Despite the minor bloody cleanups, and the discarding of body parts that would often leave her horrified with a freshly emptied stomach, she would say life wasn't too hard with the twisted clowns.
They were crazy yes, often causing mayhem to the city of Gotham daily, leaving their usual trail of death and glamorous displays of affection in their wake, without a care in the world for opinions or consequences.
Usually after a hard day the clown King and Queen would both retreat to their sanctuary, where Jade would be waiting to take care of their needs and elaborate but reasonable demands.
She rolled her eyes, shocked at the sudden twinge of annoyance that drummed through her, even though it was for a moment. She realized with a sudden sadness that she literally dedicated her life to them, waiting on hand and feet for them both.
She did everything when it came to them.
Cooking, cleaning (which was often bloody and messy), taking care of their grooming needs, you name it.
It was a never ending cycle for them, with the blood, chaos, and despair, so she often found her self having a hard time keeping up with their chaotic lifestyle all the while trying to keep herself sane.
And only the gods knew she barely had that under control.
She sighed, dragging her fingers slowly against the pristine purple paint on the window against the wall she was leaning on.
She eyed the darkness outside, admiring the stars glistening in the freedom of the sky with a sudden burning desire, so intense, that it made her eyes water. She blinked, trying to expel the tears out along with her dangerous curiosity.
She could only ever imagine what they did outside of their hidden fortress.
Ever since that day she first arrived, Jade had never stepped foot outdoors under any circumstances.
She didn't know why she wasn't allowed outside, but she knew by the Jokers cold stare and Harley's foreboding tone they would give her when she would sneak glances at the doors leading to the outside gave her more than enough subtitle hints that it was best she didn't ask why.
Though she didn't mind at first, as the months flew by a darker feeling always troubled her, temping her with forbidden thoughts of disobeying them, to question them..
Question HIM.
It frightened her the very first time the voices appeared, and just how vivid they really were. They had their own power over her, their voices like honey and a remedy for her troubles.
And as they days grew by, she realized with a sickening dread that they were slowly but surely becoming harder and harder to ignore.
Whispering words of deception and disobedience in her mind, the voices would come and go as they please, sending her spiraling into depressing and fear as she struggled to cope with the new additions inside of her mind.
Usually she could overpower them and keep herself together when they would appear, screaming at herself in her mind until they would quite down, leaving her alone.
Until now.
She shook her head, trying to clear her head of the dark thoughts. She pressed her sharp nails against her temples carefully, rubbing the smooth skin in an attempt to ward off the oncoming headache.
Her skin was now flawless, and much to her surprise and fascination blemish free, even though just months earlier she was covered in blisters.
She figured it was the chemicals that created the miracle, making her skin healing abilities grow at a rapid place when she was wounded due to her clumsy nature.
'That's because you're an idiot'
A voice seeped through, and she could just imagine the sneer it would have if it had a face, but instead she settled for her own.
'Well I hate to break it to you my dear, that would make us both an idiot, seeing as though you reside in me.'
She laughed smugly aloud, the action gaining her a sideways glance from Harley who was now staring at her with slanted eyes, curiosity and confusion clear on her face.
"You ok there kiddo?"
Jade jumped visibly, unaware of Harley's presence until now. "I-I'm fine!" She lied through shaking teeth as she avoided her glare.
'No you're not..'
She frowned, her anger rising as she sighed tiredly. Fighting voices in your head along with dealing with two psychopaths on the daily can be extremely stressful.
"I-I just need some air..I'm going outside" she huffed in annoyance as attempted to walk past Harley, but was stopped with a tattooed arm.
"Now kiddo you know you can't do that. ." She smiled sadly, knowing full well how she must feel at the moment. "Why don't you just blow off some steam in the gym downstairs? Puddin' and I alwa.."
"WHY?!" She screamed suddenly, cutting her off rudely and Harley's lips poured in disapproval at the sudden outburst.
"Why do I have to be trapped in this place?!" She slammed her fists harshly into the walls, surprising herself briefly as she left two deep holes in her wake.
'You don't have to be..you choose to be. Because you're weak!' The voice cackled triumphantly as it began taunting her.
"Why don't you just calm down there kiddo, before you do somethin' that'll piss off Mistah J.." Harley pleaded, her hands pointing upwards toward the study where he was currently located.
"Why can't you just leave me alone?! WHY CANT YOU ALL JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Jade screamed, her voice cracking as she cried.
Harley watched worriedly as Jade clutched her head harshly, shaking it violently as if something was on her.
'Tired are you? Then let me take control..'
She whimpered brokenly as she shook her head violently.
"Please..let me be" she whispered aloud, making Harley frown suddenly.
"Hey look! Now I'm tryna be nice here! But you can't go outside! Mistah J will have both of our heads!" She pouted, annoyed slightly at the woman's disobedience.
'Who are THEY to lock you in a cage! You…WE'VE been in a cage for far too long! Just let me free..Let US free..'
Jade gasped, clutching her head in pain as a searing hot feeling drummed through her brain.
'But who are you..What are you?!'
Jade growled suddenly as she pushed past Harley, walking towards the walls. Harley gasped, a horrified look plastered on her face as Jade began to slam her forehead harshly against the wall.
She continued to slam her head much to Harley's horror, making her scream slightly.
"Are you crazy?! Puddin' just got these walls cleaned! And you're ruining ya' pretty face!" She reached for her, oblivious to the war going on in the distressed woman's psyche.
Her mind was bleeding in and out of reality; Her cries slowly turned in to hysteric laughs as the pain became nothing to her. Her blood splashed violently against the wall as it bled down her face.
'..What are you..W-what am I?
Harley's hand reached her shoulder after what seemed a millennia, and the world seemed to pause for Jade.
'I…am you.'
She froze.
The loud voices screaming back and forth were now one as she completely halted her self beating.
'Now, let US.. be free...'
"H-Hey Jade..you Ok?" Harley's soft voice and touch was like electric fire, making Jade jump back suddenly. Harley watched with morbid fascination as Jade suddenly began laughing, ignoring the blood now covering the majority of her face.
Harley cringed vividly; She knew she would require stitches.
"You okay kiddo?" She tried again, turning the woman to face her fully.
"Honestly..?" She smiled, taking Harley off guard as she head butted her suddenly, sending her to the ground.
She made a dash for the door, wrenching it open with a new found strength. Before heading out, she gave the now startled Harley a last look. She cackled, and Harley couldn't help but shiver as it reminded her so much of her lover upstairs.
"I've never been better!" She smiled wickedly, dangling a set of keys in front of her face before dashing off to the garage.
Slightly dizzy, Harley stumbled to her feet, trying to making sense of the situation.
"Keys..where did she.." she froze as the roar of a engine reached her ears, followed by a large crash. She flinched, not daring to look at the damage the deranged woman had done.
"I'm. So. Fucking. Screwed." She mumbled, clutching her forehead in annoyance. She eyed the damage in horror, her blood boiling at the gaping hole left behind from her daring escape. She was going to kill her for sure, that is, if the Joker didn't kill them both first.
As if on cue, the voice of God beamed through.
"HARLEYYYY!"
She flinched.
"Fuck. Me."
•••••••••elsewhere•••••••••••
"Finally!"
She giggled loudly, loving the feel of the cold wind whipping her wild hair around violently in the dark night. Her skin pulsed, hypersensitive as she was able to feel everything freshly at once.
It was as if her senses had been ignited by a fierce flame, and she had been reborn, for the second time. Her entire soul was on fire, and she couldn't understand why.
What was even scarier was, she didn't care.
She adjusted the rearview mirror, glancing at herself with a pleasure filled look.
"Hello gorgeous, it's nice to finally meet you"
Her voice was even clearer now, her British accent loosing its childlike sound, replaced with an unusually sexier, deeper tone as her words more pronounced and enunciated with each syllable.
She purred as she flew threw the streets of Gotham City like a bat out of hell, passing angry cars with distain for human life as she weaved dangerously through the lanes, not caring that she dangerously scraped past a few.
"You couldn't keep me caged for long hunny bunny. It was time you set me free" she cackled helplessly as she felt her eyes well up uncontrollably.
'What are you doing? How could you betray them?! After everything they've done for you?'
A broken voice reached her ears, and her eyes drifted to the rear view mirror slowly. She gasped in horror as a younger version of her flashed over her own face suddenly before returning back to normal.
A blaring horn reached her ears, saving her just time as she slammed on the breaks to avoid slamming into the car in front of her. She laughed, her senses screaming at her from the adrenaline pumping through her.
She gripped the steering wheel with an iron grip as she sped off, swerving around the oncoming traffic as keep her foot on the gas.
Not once did she glance at the speedometer as she blazed through Gotham, the cars around her became a blur as she exploded aloud to no one.
"HOW COULD YOU BE LOYAL TO THEM?! They CAGED you! Treat you as if you're lower than them. LIKE A SLAVE! ..Well not anymore. Not as long as Im in charge!" She screamed, swerving hard to avoid stalled cars in her way.
'No..they saved me.. They saved us. Without them there would be me..us..you.'
She growled the sound surprising even herself.
Her knuckles became white as she screamed to no one in particular. She knew from the outside looking in she probably seemed insane, screaming at no one in an empty car with the top down.
But was it a lie?
Was she not clearly insane? Yelling at different versions of herself that lived in side her head aloud?
She laughed as her tears fell.
"Oh what do you know! You're just a weakling! We deserve to be their equals! Not their slaves" She wiped her tears angrily, smearing the blood even further around her stained face.
'But we are one..If I am weak, what does that make you?'
She froze.
Flashes of her curling in the corner, begging her father to stop his current assault on her danced in her vision suddenly. Her breath caught in her throat as she shook her head feverishly, desperate to clear her vision from the harsh memories.
'You stole from them! We need to go back, they can understand you, they'll know how to help us..We need them'
"NO! LET ME DO THIS! LET ME BE FREE!"
'You'll never be free silly..As won't I.. I am you, and you are me. We are one.'
She ignored the screeching sounds of brakes as she slammed her foot on the gas even harder. The tears in her eyes blurred the roads she was on, and she tried desperately blink them away.
"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" She screamed, narrowly missing a few pedestrians as she clipped the curb. She punched the steering wheel angrily as she tried to regain control of the wheel.
'You will never be free..NEVER! You'll belong to them..you'll see. We already do, really..'
"I belong to NO ONE!" She whimpered brokenly, groaning as blood began to blind her vision in one of her eyes.
'Silly girl, THEY are the ones who set us free, they made us, We belong to them, and soon enough..They'll belong to us. You'll see..You'll ALL see soon enough..'
"ENOUGH!" She screamed, slamming on the gas as hard as she could. The next few moments were a blur as her car made impact with the car that had suddenly appeared before her.
The sound of medal grinding and bending was deafening as her body snapped forward violently, her lack of a seatbelt and her blazing speed sent her body slamming head first into the windshield.
She screamed as the air bags popped, slamming her backwards harshly. A loud ringing resonated in her ear, and for a second she was lost as garbled voices reached her ears.
"Oh my god!"
"I think he's dead!"
"Check her vitals! Is she breathing?!"
She moaned, blinking her eyes slowly as her vision began to return to her. Her body was racked with pain and her throat and eyes burned from the air bags.
What had happened?
"She's alive! I think she was drunk! Fucking bitch! Call 9-1-1!"
Her mind forced her to move as she began to panic. She groaned as she reached for the nearest thing, which happened to be the bystander checking her vitals. His scream was short lived as she wrenched him down harshly, using his body as a lift to climb out of the car.
She screamed harshly as she hit the ground, her body a temple for pain as she struggled to reach steady footing.
Why did everything hurt so much?
And where was she?
And who were these people now screaming at her.
"What hap.." she was cut off by a woman screaming at her, her face badly bruised and bleeding, but otherwise beautiful. Her make up was smeared down her cheeks and Jade couldn't help but morbidly think she was beautiful in her current appearance.
"YOU! You killed him! You killed my husband! YOU KILLED HIM YOU MURDERER!" She screamed before slamming her fist into Jade's chest, knocking her off her feet.
"Wha..what do you mean..? I don't know what you're talking about." She choked harshly, not willing to accept the woman's words. Her eyes traveled, scoping the scene quickly.
She gasped as her eyes fell on the mangled body of a man lying on the pavement ahead.
"Oh god..god no.." Her bottom lip trembled, but strangely no tears came.
She eyed herself briefly, other than her own self inflicted injury, she wasn't too severely hurt. She noticed with a twinge of fear that she wasn't as sympathetic as she should be.
"YOU! YOU DID THIS!"
She watched as the broken woman stormed towards her, her eyes full of broken fury, fury that she caused.
She couldn't help but notice the woman resembled a damaged dog who survived a fire with her hair being burned badly and her tattered remains of her singed clothing that clung to her like hair.
She gasped, clamping her lips down as the sudden urge to laugh overcame her.
What was wrong with her?
"I-I don't understand.."
She didn't understand, and she didn't know why but she didn't care. In fact, she realized with a sickening feeling that she found it rather..funny.
Why didn't she care?
She bit down even harder as the urge to laugh grew tenfold, her muffed giggle in her bruised throat causing her to cough slightly.
She knew this couldn't mean anything good.
She had no time to react as the woman's hand connected with her face, snapping it to the side harshly. Her eyes dilated in surprise and anger at the sudden assault.
"He tried everything to get you to slow down, EVERYTHING! But you plowed into us anyway! You're a MURDERER and you WONT get away with this!"
•TO BE CONTINUED