I am having way more fun with this than I should. Don't worry, though. I plan to make this a long story. From The Killing Joke, to Beneath the Red Hood, to the Arkham series, I've got plans for Korra and her friends. Joker has a lot of experiences he'd like to 'share' with the world of Avatar.

While I write all this, I imagined this Joker to have the voice of Mark Hamill as opposed to Heath Ledger. His Arkham series portrayal of the character is the perfect mix of morbid humor, sociopathy, and unpredictability. I was trying to match that type of Joker as best as I could in this story. Just a little tidbit I thought I'd include.

Chapter 3

Korra and Asami sat with their children at a table in the Metalbending Police Headquarters. Tenzin and Lin Bei Fong stood across the table from them. The room was deathly silent, save for the occasional shivers and cries from Kara and Sokka. Kara was especially distraught, as she was still shaking in Korra's arms, even hours after the police had arrived at the island and escorted them to the HQ. Though the blood had long since been washed off, Korra knew it didn't feel that way to Kara. Sokka sat in Asami's lap, nestled against her chest and fast asleep. He was either really tired from the trauma he went through, or it didn't affect him as much, Korra thought.

Though she hadn't spoken up about it yet, Korra was certain that this 'Joker' from her dream was responsible for the invasion of Kara and Sokka's room. Kuvira missing her face in the dream, and it showing up practically on her doorstep was clearly not coincidence.

My kids, this monstrous...thing, it went after my kids. Korra thought to herself. She felt her muscles tighten and her heartbeat race as she thought about that thing looking down at her kids in their sleep. She hadn't felt that kind of anger since she saw Zaheer throw her father off of a mountain. Her thoughts were frantic, unorganized, all yelling out that this thing had to pay.

¨Lin, I'm telling you, the Air Acolytes didn't report any trespassers. I had their numbers doubled yesterday!¨ Tenzin was the first to break the awkward silence.

¨Tell me whatever you want, Tenzin. Someone got into your home and nailed Kuvira's flaming face on the wall. Korra, are you sure your children didn't hear anything in their room?¨ She asked. Korra shot Lin an annoyed look.

¨If my kids say they didn't hear anything, they didn't hear anything, Chief.¨ She answered, rather hostily. In retrospect, maybe it was best not to doubt Korra's kids right now. She was acting more protective than usual.

¨Okay, that was rather rude of me to doubt them. I apologize.¨ Something she didn't do often.

Just when the awkward silence was about to resume, Mako walked into the small room they were gathered in.

He was dressed in a detective's uniform, formal blues and all, though he had pushed for a red variant to be accepted years ago. He was no longer the rookie on the beat he had been ten years ago. He had since proved himself in numerous cases, from everything to drug trafficking to homicide. He had built up a very nice and long case history, one that rivaled Lin's own. But, she'd never tell him that. Seeing Mako made Korra relax a bit, given the situation. It had been so long since the old Team Avatar had gotten together, possibly a year now that she thought of it. Korra was always busy with either the children or political matters, Asami had a company to run and kids to care for, Mako was certainly not free often, and Bolin was usually off somewhere with Varrick at a Mover shoot.

Asami seemed to share this release in tension, as she slouched a bit in her chair when he arrived. She still thought his haircut was kind of unfitting for him.

¨Mako, good. Have the boys been able to find any sign of entry? Any broken glass, or footprints?¨ Lin asked.

¨No, ma'am. Not even a single fingerprint on the whole island. But, we did find this.¨ He responded, and held out his hand to display a single playing card to the Chief. The room instantly recognized it as the same type of card found in Zaheer's prison. Korra felt her stomach go numb. It was indeed the Joker. He's the one behind all this. She thought.

¨Great find, detective. That's the same calling card we found in the White Lotus prison. I think it's safe to say whoever went through there is the same person who did this. Any word from the prison Kuvira was being held at?¨

¨Yes, they checked her cell the second we called. But, the contents were a bit...disturbing, to say the least." Mako reported. The room was silent for another few seconds.

"Considering what we've seen already, I think we can handle it." Korra spoke up.

Asami tugged on Korra's shoulder. "Maybe it'd be best if I took the children to go look for some breakfast." She suggested. Korra thought about it for a second. While she doubted the children wanted to be separated from either of their mothers, she doubted they wanted to hear the gruesome details of The Joker's killing spree even more. On a personal note, Korra didn't want her family to leave her sight, but she knew that this was something Asami and the children were better off not hearing.

"Yeah, you're right. Kara, Sokka, go with your mother. The grownups have to talk for a bit." Korra said. Asami shook Sokka awake, but Kara refused to budge.

¨Mommy, I don't want to go. I'm scared, I want to stay here with you. You can protect me.¨ Korra took Kara and held her on her knee.

¨I know you're scared, Kara. I am too. But, you have to be brave, for us as much as for yourself. This is a hard time for our family, but we've all got to hold our heads up high.¨ She said.

¨Mommy, I'm not brave like you. I can't...¨ Kara began to tear up.

¨Honey, bravery isn't about not being afraid, it's about being scared but still doing what you know has to be done. Asami and I, we're terrified right now. But, that's not going to stop us from keeping you safe.¨ Korra comforted her.

¨Are you saying I can't protect you, Kara? Just watch me! I can kick as much rear as Korra, you know that!¨ Asami joked, then proceeded to flex her arms. She was trying to lighten the mood, and was pleased when Kara let out a small, muffled giggle.

¨I wasn't saying that, mom. But, you're right. I know you'll protect me just as much.¨ Kara replied with a smile, although it was a weak one. At this point, Asami was going to take all that she could get.

¨Alright, wanna go get some breakfast, kids?¨ Asami asked.

The children nodded, and Kara, although hesitantly, withdrew herself from Korra's lap, and went hand-in-hand with Asami as they walked out of the door. But, before she could pass its threshold, Mako stopped her.

"Asami, I just want to let you know that we're doing everything we can to keep you and your children safe. There's a nice little cafè across from the building. Its got great tea."

¨That sounds nice, we'll take a look. Thanks.¨ Asami responded.

¨You know I won't rest until we have this guy behind bars, right? I know Korra, you and I have had a complicated past...¨ Mako scratched the back of his head, trying to find the right words. He wasn't 100% sure such words even existed. ¨...but, the bad stuff is behind us. No more awkward ex-boyfriend stuff, that's in the past. I love you both. For spirits' sake, forget best friends, or teammates. You're like family. So, whoever tries to get at you or your kids again is going to have to go through me.¨ Asami was silent for a few seconds.

¨I just wanted to let you know that.¨ Mako said quickly, unsure if he had said the right thing.

Asami released her children for the briefest of seconds, and hugged Mako. The hug was tight, extremely so. Tears began to decorate Asami's face.

"Thank you."

Then, she reconnected with her kids' hands, and walked out.

Under normal circumstances, Lin would have scolded Mako, say that he should never be so informal while he wore his dress suit. But, Lin knew that these weren't normal circumstances. The Satos needed all the hope they could get.

Korra waited a few seconds until she continued. "You were saying, Uncle Mako?" She teased. Mako's face lit up brighter than his firebending.

¨Well, when the wardens opened her cell, they found her body badly burnt, her face removed, and a message written in blood on her wall. It read: 'Dark and light, two sides of the same coin.' No one knows what it could mean.¨

Korra contemplated the information for a few seconds. Perhaps it was time she shared her vision with the others.

¨Guys, I've got something to tell you. Last night, I had a dream, but it felt really real. The kind of real where I felt a knife in my chest. The man who did all this was there, and he called himself 'The Joker'. He...he said he wanted to make me suffer, to change me into something he wants. He said he was going to kill all of you until I didn't have anything happy in my life.¨ She said with bated breath.

The room let out a collective gasp.

¨I know it was a dream, but this stuff is normal for the Avatar, right? And another thing; Kuvira was there too, but she was missing her face and her legs were all burnt up. I don't know how, but there's not a doubt in my mind that was him talking to me, taunting me.¨

¨Um, hello? Is no one the least bit suspicious about the fact that this 'Joker' was able to break into Kuvira's cell, one of the most guarded roms in the Earth Nations, murder her, cut her face clean off, then come and stick it in Tenzin's house, all in one night? Her prison is halfway across the continent!¨ Mako interjected.

¨Mako is right. That is an alarming amount of activity done in a few hours.¨ Lin added. ¨Well, we know his name, thats much is sure. Korra, what did he look like?¨

¨I couldn't get a good look at his body, but he had a white face, and big red lips. He looked kind of like a clown, honestly.¨

¨It's better than nothing. I'll be giving my boys his details, and we'll double search efforts. In the meantime, we have to figure out what to do with your family. I suggest we hold up at your penthouse, Korra. If we get enough metalbenders, Air Acolytes, and even a few White Lotus, we could turn it into a stronghold, no way in or out without someone knowing.¨

¨If extra people came, that'd be a good idea. Asami already has a surveillance system in place, and it's big enough to house us, a couple dozen guards, and Tenzin's family if they wish.¨

¨Then it's a plan. I'll-¨ Lin was cut off when a rookie cadet came into the room.

¨Ma'am, you have a call waiting for you in your office. Something about the morgue.¨

Asami and her children walked into the small cafè. While it was small, it looked like it was doing well for itself, obviously thriving on the business provided by the police. However, the woman at the counter looked elderly, her face was fairly pale, and her lips were stretched into an eerie smile. Kara and Sokka were anxiously awaiting something to eat, and pulled Asami to the front of the counter. The room was barely lit by a few candles scattered here and there, apparently trying to keep up a relaxing mood in the cafè. The cafè was empty, save for her, her children, the woman behind the counter, and a man in a heavy tan coat in the corner.

¨Hello! Welcome to the Republic City Ricecake! What would you three like this evening, heh heh?¨

The woman was awkwardly laughing at the end of her spheel. While unordinary, it didn't seem to faze Asami, whose mind was on other, more terrifying things. She hoped Korra would have a few answers waiting for her back at the HQ.

¨I'll have a cup of Jade Tea, and my kids here would like a couple of berry muffins.¨ Asami said. Sokka tugged on her arm, then shook his head when he obtained his mother's attention. ¨Oh yes, and a banana nut muffin for the boy.¨ She added.

¨Okay, that'll be, haha, thirty yuans.¨ The lady said. It then struck Asami that she had left her purse at the police station. She felt quite embarrassed.

¨I'm sorry, I left my purse somewhere. Could I go get it and pay you once I get ba-¨ She began, but was cut off by the man in the tan coat.

¨Absolutely not, my dear. Hostess! I'll cover this lovely woman's charge. She looks like she has her hands full enough as it is with those kids.¨ He said.

¨Oh, no, I couldn't possibly ask you to do that.¨ Asami said modestly.

¨Exactly! You couldnt! Thats why I'm not letting you! All that I ask you is that you share a table with an old, lonely man. Good conversation is hard to come by these days.¨

While Asami didn't like other people paying for her, she couldn't refuse the man's generous offer. ¨Alright, it seems there's no stopping you.¨ As Asami grabbed her food and tea from the still-chuckling hostess, she felt like her children were hesitant to go sit with the man. She shrugged it off, thinking they wouldn't be very receptive to strangers in their state.

¨My children and I thank you, kind sir. Please, what is your name?¨

¨Nevermind that, my dear. I need no praise. I take satisfaction in all the little good things I do.¨

As she sat down with her children at the opposite side of the both the stranger was sitting in, a smile appeared on his face. The dark lighting of the cafè made it hard to distinguish his skin color. He wore a long rim hat that covered a majority of his face and his hair, if he even had any.

¨So, my dear, what brings Mrs. Asami Sato, the CEO of Future Industries, to a cafè at this hour?¨ The man asked, a hint of playfulness in his voice, although it sounded withered and old.

¨Oh, nothing really. Just thought I'd take a stroll through the city. The kids were getting restless and hungry, so we stopped here.¨ While this wasn't a lie, it wasn't entirely the truth, either. Her kids silently ate their food.

¨Really? Well, I hear it's because of a different reason." The man said. Asami raised her eyebrows, curiously.

"Is that so? What have you heard?"

"Oh, not much. Just that...someone killed Korra's enemies in prison. From what I hear, the police have really got their hands full."

Enemies? They had literally only found out about Kuvira about an hour ago. "Wait, how did you know?"

Just as Asami finished her question, a loud clicking noise echoed behind her. The noise startled the kids, who stopped eating. Asami turned around to see the hostess locking the door, chuckling to herself, he face much whiter than before. Then, after she locked the door, she walked over, sat at the bar, let out a laugh that was akin to nails on chalkboard, and put her head down on the counter. She sat motionless.

"Let's say I like to keep tabs on important people in my life, dear." The old man had stopped sounding elderly and groggy. Instead, he spoke in a voice that was a mix between cockyness, humor, and cruelty. At that sentence, Asami's children froze in fear. Paralyzing, unbearable fear. Seeing her children react in such a way, Asami quickly put two and two together.

"You...you...let us out of here!" She asked. While she tried to hide her nervousness for the sake of her kids, her plea came out broken up and shaky anyway.

"Ah, not before I hear what you have to say. 'You...you…", you what? Rather, me what? Please, I'm a bit lost here, he he he." Asami had no choice, she was trapped, and was forced to play this sick man's twisted game.

"You're the man who's been doing all this, you have to be. No one else knows about Kuvira but us." She weakly said.

"Oh, smart girl! You put it together so easily. Do you want a biscuit?" He taunted.

Kara and Sokka began to whimper, clearly already acquainted with the man who sat before them. That's when the man turned his attention to them.

"Kara, dearie. You look so upset! Didn't you like Uncle Joker's gift? I had it specially made for you, imported from the Earth Nations, no less! If it's the material that upsets you, I assure you, its made from 100% orphan. It really reminded me of you and your brother. Well, your mother too, but the wound is so much more fresh on you." He began to cackle, and Kara shoved her head into Asami's shoulder.

"Don't you dare talk to my daughter like that, you despicable man. They aren't a part of this." Asami responded, as she began to slowly reach her hand into her pants pocket. If she could keep him busy, she could retrieve her shock glove and have a means of defense.

"Oh ho ho, that's where you're wrong, cupcake. They have everything to do with this. Them, and you." The man retrieved a small, black box from inside of his coat. It was featureless, except for a small speaker on the bottom of the front.

¨Like it? It's a little souvenir I brought from back home. Believe it or not, it's a phone. Far more advanced than anything you've ever seen.¨ The man pressed a button on the side of the device, and it lit up.

"Now, let's play a little game. You're familiar with prank calls, aren't you? Well, I've got the most hilarious prank call planned, and all you have to do is talk when I give you this. Play along, and I might just let the little brats keep their ring fingers." He said, coldly and sadistically.

Asami wanted to hit the stranger, hit him so hard that the teeth would fall out of his crooked smile. But, playing along would give her enough time to fish out her glove and equip it.

"Fine, just...please leave my children out of this."

"I make no promises, but I'm glad you didn't chose to do something stupid. Well, either glad or disappointed, I could go either way. He he he." He laughed as he fiddled with the box.

The device was unlike anything Asami had seen before, but as the stranger fiddled with it, she heard the blaring ringing like that of a telephone. He held it up to his ear, then placed a finger on his lips, signaling Asami and her kids to remain quiet.

"Hello? Is this Chief Bei Fong's office? Yes, this is mister Joe Keer from the Republic City morgue. Yes, could you go get Ms. Bei Fong? Of course, i'll wait.¨

The man began to hum a tune whilst he waited. About a minute passed before he spoke up again.

¨Ms. Bei Fong? Yes, I am aware you are a very busy woman. Yes, as a matter of fact, I do have a few new arrivals. Could you please put Avatar Korra on the line?" There was a long silence after he asked that question.

"Yes, this does concern her. How many? Three. One woman, and her lovely little girl and boy. Yes. It's nice to know that you aren't anywhere as dumb as you look, Chief. No, you'll stay on this line, or these new arrivals will have to be put on cold ice. Why yes, this is supposed to be funny. I'm slightly offended you aren't laughing. Enough chit-chat, give Korra the phone. Now." Silence ensued again. He resumed his happy tune for a few more seconds.

"Hello? Hey, puddin'. What, what's wrong? Oh, hang on, give me a second." The man placed the black box in the center of the table and tapped near the speaker.

"There we go. As you were saying, princess?" He said aloud. Then, a voice began to emanate from the box.

"You shut your flaming mouth, Joker. Where are you? What do you want?" Korra's voice said from the box.

"Oh, it's not about what I want, it's about what you want. Asami, my dear, I'd like to ask a favor of you. Would you be so kind as to tell Korra here…" He trailed off.

"...just how much you love her." He finished, after what felt like an eternity of silence. He stretched his words to make sure both women knew the severity of the situation.

"Y...you're bluffing. You don't have Asami." Korra said weakly from the box.

¨Bluffing? Tsk, tsk. You act as if this is a card game, treating human lives as tokens of amusement. I love it. But, are you really able to risk your family's lives like that? If I were you, I'd start taking this a bit more seriously. Go on, Asami.¨

Asami swallowed loudly, thinking of what to say. She hadn't expected this. She thought she would have been attacked by now, or at the very least, harmed. Instead, this 'Joker' was simply playing with Korra. A sick, twisted little mind game. But, for her safety and that of her children, she had to comply.

"Korra….Korra, honey?" Asami said nervously. This time, the box was silent. The Joker started laughing maniacally. He motioned for Asami to continue. Her children clung to her as she spoke, their eyes shut tightly.

"Korra, everything is okay. I'm not hurt, and the children are fine. We're-"

"Get on with it." The Joker meddled.

"Okay." She said, nervously. "Korra, the children and I...we love you very much. I love you very much."

"Now we're talking! Ha ha! Why do you love her, Asami?"

"I love you because...because you're the most beautiful and thoughtful woman i've ever met in my life. You're so strong, physically and emotionally. We bonded so much in Republic City, and the Earth Kingdom. I've never been so close to someone. Remember that vacation we took in the Spirit World? It was one of the happiest times i've ever had in my life." Tears began to stream down Asami's eyes. Her children's grips started to ease. The Joker continued to chuckle, albeit softly, as to allow Korra to hear Asami.

"After everything I went through, I felt like I kept heading down a road that would hit a dead end. I kept thinking I should have given up, that everything was hopeless. But, you were always beside me, pushing for me to do better. And when my father died, I...you were there for me. You helped me, you held me in your arms. I'll never forget what you've done for me, that's why I love you so much. Because you aren't just my wife, you're my better half. You're my best friend, and I love you."

Again, the box was silent for a few seconds. Then, it spoke.

"I...I will end you, Joker. I will...I…" Korra spoke. Asami could tell Korra was crying, her voice kept breaking, and she couldn't quite get out what she wanted to say.

"I...please don't hurt them. Please, this is about me. This is about me, and me alone. You can do whatever you want to me, but please don't hurt my family. I love them."

The Joker erupted into laughter. "HA HA, EH HE HE HEH. OH, OH HO HO. My dear Korra, that's the problem. You do love them, you love them more than anything on this earth. But they aren't just the blood that keeps you going, they're the poison that keeps you down. You deny your full potential when you accept them in your life. They're a weakness, a weakness others can exploit. Ironically, it's all your fault. You're the one who took the risk of being happy in this cruel, horrid world. In the end, I'm just trying to help you. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

As The Joker laughed, Asami sprang over the table, electric glove equipped on her right hand. The Joker was taken by surprise, and couldn't react quickly enough to dodge her grapple. Asami grabbed The Joker's arm, and let out a pulse of electricity. He yelled in pain as he tried to shake Asami off.

"Korra, across the street! We're in the-" Asami said frantically, but The Joker flung her out of the booth and across the room. She landed back-first against the bar.

"Ugh, you little rat! I'll make you pay for that!" The Joker grumbled as he rose from the booth. As he walked toward the stunned Asami, he began to brandish a knife that he pulled from his coat sleeve. The children began to cry, forcing The Joker to turn around and point the tip of his knife to the young ones.

"You two shut up! So help me god, I'll cut out your tongues!" He threatened. It did wonders to silence them, but they still whimpered like kicked puppies. Then, Asami lept on The Joker's back, gluing her glove to the back of his neck. He was a tall man, much taller than Asami, so she had to hang on his back while she grappled him. He let out screams of searing pain, then jumped backwards, smashing Asami into a wall. Asami still hung on for dear life, but The Joker took his knife and stabbed her in her left arm that was clinging to his shoulder. She yelped in pain, and lost her grip on his back. She fell down, clutching her left arm.

The Joker spun around and slashed at her with his knife. Asami tumbled backwards, until she leapt back onto her feet. The Joker charged her, unleashing a barrage of slashes and stabs. Asami barely dodged them, and he left many cuts on her clothes. He aimed for her side, but she stepped into the stab, and his hand overshot his target. She pinned his arm into her side. The Joker took his left hand and hooked Asami in the jaw, and she fell backward onto her back.

The Joker loomed over her, rubbing the edges of the knife with his hand. His signature evil smile stretched from ear to ear as he knelt down to her.

"You had a bit of fight in ya. I like that. Too bad you didn't have enough, hehehehehehe."

The Joker kicked Asami square in the jaw. There was a loud crack, and a single tooth and flew from her mouth. Her mouth began to bleed body, the irony taste of blood coated her cheeks. The Joker walked a few steps and retrieved the tooth, inspecting it.

"Asami, you haven't been flossing, have you?" He held the tooth out towards the terrified children so they could see. "Remember, brush twice a day, kiddies!"

The Joker knelt down again beside Asami, and placed his knife against Asami's neck, preparing to end the young inventor's life. Just as he was about to do the deed, a large piece of ice impacted the back of his head. The Joker's vision went blurry for a second, and he rose to his feet to meet his attacker. Low and behold, little Kara was striking a waterbending stance in her booth, and Asami's tea cup was empty.

"Get away from my mom!" She yelled.

"Oh, fancy yourself a hero, little girl? We simply cannot have that." He leered at her, and began walking towards her. After his first few steps, the glass behind the two children shattered, and they took cover. The Joker was struck by a large gust of wind, and was knocked back into the bar, right beside the hostess, who was now making a gurgling sound. As he tried to pull himself up, The Joker was restrained by the two metal bars of the bar stools he sat beside. They were painfully tight, and caused him to drop his knife.

In through the broken window climbed Korra, who rushed to Asami's side. Chief Bei Fong climbed in after her, and ran to the imprisoned Joker, bending his metal restraints into makeshift cuffs.

"Asami! Asami, wake up! Wake up, damn you!" Korra yelled. Asami stirred in her place a bit before opening her eyes. Her nose was bloody, and her jaw looked broken.

"K...Korra?" She uttered, blood leaked onto the floor from her mouth. Korra wrapped her in the tightest embrace she had ever been given.

"I'm so sorry, Asami. I'm so sorry. That is never going to happen to you again, I promise."

"Fashionably late as always, Korra? A few more seconds, and Asami would have been gutted like a fish!" The Joker laughed.

Bei Fong didn't share in his sense of humor.

"Quiet, or you'll have to limp back to the station." She threatened.

Classic Lin.

"Oh, what's the big deal? It's not like I tried to kill an entire famil...oh wait. HAHAHAHA-AHHHHHHH!" The Joker began to taunt, but his laughter turned into screams as Lin kicked his kneecaps. She tried to warn him.

The Joker leaned back in his chair. Lin had brought him to the HQ's interrogation room, and had stripped him of his weapons. She had even taken away his favorite crowbar! The nerve! But, even then, he didn't look concerned at all, and Lin was beginning to lose her patience.

"For the last time, how did you get into Zaheer's prison?" She questioned angrily.

"'For the last time', Chef Bei Fong, it's very simple to understand. I found where he was being held. Then, I walked in, and I killed them! All of them! You should know, you investigated the place, after all. I tried to go for a more post-modern look with the blood on the walls. As for Kuvira, that one was a bit more tricky. Tricky, but not impossible. Oh my, if you only knew the amount of times i've had to escape from a looney bin. Either way, a magician never reveals his secrets. Hehehehe." He responded. Lin's rage was building.

"And the face above Kara's bed?"

"Did you like it? I got that idea from one of my past experiences. I thought it was very symbolic, such a work of art! Well, that, and I loved skinning that shrew alive. Look, Chef Metalhead, i've got nothing more to say to you. But, if Avatar Korra were to come in…" The Joker looked towards the glass pane on the far side of the room. Although there was no way he could see through it, Korra felt him stare into her eyes, nonetheless.

"Fine, but only because I'm sick of talking to this colorful pile of garbage. Just remember, she may not be as nice as I'm being right now." Lin snapped, as she rose from her seat and exited the room. A few seconds later, the door opened again, instead revealing Korra, who reluctantly strolled inside.

"Great! The guest of honor is here! Aww, and me without my confetti. Oh well, guess we'll just have to settle for your wife's teeth then. Hehehehehe." The Joker withdrew the tooth from his jacket pocket and flung it into the air. It landed on the table before him.

Korra slammed her fist on the metal table, leaving a sizeable dent. "Quiet!" He didn't flinch.

"Temper, temper. You know, you do really remind me of him. So brash, so angry, though you aren't nearly as brooding." The Joker said.

"Who? Start talking about why you're here. Why do you want me?"

The Joker looked up at the ceiling, staring off into space. "I suppose I never told you much about him. Well, I told you what I did to him, but not why he was so important." He turned once again to the one-way mirror. "You best listen up, folks! I'm not one to repeat stories." The Joker cleared his throat.

"Korra, the one I refer to was the light of my life, the man that completed me. Now, I never knew him by his real name, only by the moniker he gave himself. His name was...The Batman. I know what you're thinking, 'Mr. Joker, that's an awfully weird name to be called.' And, you're right! It is weird! Downright crazy! I'm pretty sure you can guess this, but I'm not from around here."

"There was this city called Gotham. There were no such things as 'benders'. Crime was rampant, and mobsters bred in the dark alleyways like a plague. Everything seemed hopeless, until one man decided that he'd had enough! He donned something akin to a halloween costume! You people have Halloween, right? Eh, doesn't matter. Dressed up like a maniac, he fought the dark recesses of crime and corruption in Gotham, until the very mention of his name made criminals wet their pants! Then, fate took its toll." The Joker began to chortle as he pointed to his own face. Korra felt uneasy just being in the same room with him.

"He was a vigilante, taking law into his own hands! No rules, no friends, nothing holding him back. He told himself that as long as he never took another life, he was somehow different from the other maniacs that dressed up in costumes, that he was good and they were bad. I was a supervillain! No method to the chaos, no care for human life, a disfigured freak that just wanted to show the world that little stands between the average man and I! Complete and utter opposites, we were. But, we were both extremes on the opposite ends of the moral spectrum. In the most morbid way to put it, we were the same." Korra looked like she was about to detonate.

"Stop with the jokes, with the lies. You're lying, i've never heard of any place called 'Gotham', or anyone dressed as a bat. You think this is so funny. I'll give you something to laugh about if you don't tell me why you attacked my family."

The Joker stopped staring dead on at the one-way window, and turned his head to meet his present audience.

"He's gone. Either that, or I'm gone! I can't tell which, honestly. All I know is that I no longer have a kindred spirit to throw punches at. That's why you're here. Out of everyone in this city, on this planet even, you're the closest thing to him. But, there are a few...kinks we need to work out. For one, he had no family, atleast that I knew of. Soooo…" The Joker made a slicing gesture across his neck, pointed to the window, then let out a small laugh.

"Second, he hated me. Like, really hated me. So, I've got to make you hate me just as much."

"I think that part is covered, believe me." Korra gritted her teeth. The Joker once again didn't flinch, he only continued to mock her.

"You think it is, but it isn't, child."

"You traumatized my kids, attacked my wife, and knocked one of her teeth out. I think it's covered." Korra leaned over the table and grabbed The Joker by the collar. She lifted him across the table and took him against the wall with a *thud*.

"I'm going to make sure you fry, clown. No one hurts my family, no one." He laughed.

"Ehhhehhhehh, that doesn't sound very avatar-ly of you. Then again, you're no stranger to killing. When you killed Unalaq, you probably thought you had no choice, that it was either going to be him, or you. But, there was a way. If you were better, stronger, you could have subdued him. Then, maybe Desna and Eska might still have a father! If Bats taught me anything, it's that there's always a choice, and there's always a way. I just happen to make the choices where everyone dies! HEHEHEHEHEHE!" In a blaze of hatred, Korra flung The Joker across the room and into the window. The glass shattered under the sheer impact. The Joker was shoved on his back, surrounded by glass, Chief Bei Fong, Mako and Tenzin. He coughed up a bit of blood that fell on the lapel of his coat.

"Korra!" Tenzin and Bei Fong shouted together. Korra climbed through the glass to meet them. They looked at her with shocked expressions. Korra was just as surprised at her outburst as they were.

"I-I-I'm sorry, he just made me so angry, I…" She began. But, The Joker spoke up.

"Hehehehe, eck, ugh. The killing thing is going to set us back, but i've still got high hopes for you. Even if you don't have his one rule, you still think you're normal, sane even. You're a freak, like me. You have so much power in you, and people fear that. We make our own objectives, follow our own paths. We get things done, you and I. We're the same, even if you don't want to admit it." Korra loomed over him, much like he had done to Asami.

"You're wrong. I'm nothing like you. I don't like killing, I avoid it as much as possible. Unalaq was...a special case. And I don't torture kids!" Mako had The Joker on his feet at this point.

"Heh, what's the difference between liking murder and being okay with it? There isn't! Go ahead, lock me up, throw away the key, put me on death row! You don't know what I am, but I know everything there is to know about you. Hahaha, I'll show you your true colors, that we really are the same, even if I have to make a mountain of bodies to reach that high pedestal you've placed yourself on. And in the end, the world will see too. Your friends, your nations? They'll turn on you when they see the threat you pose. The Earth Queen was ahead of the curve! Then, and only then, will you realize just how mad you were for trusting in them." Korra's rage bubbled yet again, she felt like she wanted to punch a hole in the small room's wall and throw him through it. As she clenched her fists, Lin grabbed her shoulder.

"Korra, that's enough. I'll put him on lock up, we'll figure out what to do with him in the morning. In the meantime, go check up on Asami. She's at the Central Hospital on 3rd street."

Korra brushed Lin off of her shoulder, and stormed off towards the door. This isn't over, she thought.