jacksparrowlovesme - I enjoy writing Firefly. But then again I enjoy writing all the villains. If you ask me writing Batman/Bruce Wayne is hard. Villains are easier because they have more personality. ^_^
mahxie - Firefly so far is one of my favourite POV's yet. I think it's because he doesn't say much, but has a little more saner outlook on things than Jervis. It doesn't hurt that I kind of love him. I think he's rising in ranks as one of my favourite villains.
The Fortune Teller - I agree. I enjoy Crane arguing with anyone TBH. He just makes bickering seem fun.
Anton Phibes - HAHA! That would be hilarious! Hmm...
(Mysterious) Guest - Aw, how kind of you to say. I get all 'butterflies in my stomach' whenever I post new chapters, so it's nice to hear how appreciated they are.
Alex - Thanks for your review. I actually found Firefly hard to write, since I haven't read very many comics with him in, so I wasn't sure if I got his character down perfectly. It's good to know he's enjoyed by people like you. ^_^
WorthlessSix - Wow, I've never had anyone in love with me in a review before. ^_^ May I say 'giggity'. (I keed, please don't get perved out).
KrnYong - Yeah, not enough Firefly in fanfiction, is there? Must have more. Maybe when I finish this I can write one.
Well, sorry all for the late update, I really did mean to update earlier but I dropped my old laptop from my loft bed and it went boom and I wept. Thankfully I save all my work on a jump drive. Sadly this chapter isn't my favourite, but it's...you know...there. So...*ahem*...
Chapter Seven: The Brute Man
**Two-Face**
Both of them could appreciate the moment.
On the one hand, the masked men coming at them from all sides were worthy foe's, the likes of which Harvey could appreciate with his refined, poetic outlook on things.
On the other, there was so many of them to gun down that it pleased that dark and dangerous side to no end. All the blood and moans of agony as their attackers lay dying brought a sick sense of amusement to them. They couldn't fill them with enough bullets to appease their dark desires, but it certainly helped.
At their side the others fought as well, down to the last bullet, some already resorting to hand held weapons and the likes to fend off the volley of masked assassins.
They couldn't say why the first one came to them.
But the Clock King wandered into their lair one night, sat down at their table and opened a book and began to read. He never left and was soon followed by Manbat and Maxie Zeus. Both of whom claimed criminals in Gotham were being hunted down and killed.
Two-Face was wont to laugh at their ridiculous notions at the time, but they soon found out first hand when news came from Black Mask that half his henchmen were taken out by masked assassins.
Now.
Now Two-Face was faced on both sides with the reality.
And they weren't pleased.
Removing a knife in the shape of a clock hand from his inner suit jacket pocket, the Clock King jabbed the weapon up under the ribs of an assassin just as they were about to pounce on Two-Face.
Fugate took a shuriken to his shoulder as a result.
"There's too many of the fiends, good mortal!" Maxie exclaimed, lobbing one of his lightening bolts at the men. He was running low and would soon be down to his last, but the man kept at it.
Harvey eyed the area, looking for an exit, while Two-Face eyed the area looking for a way to kill a shitload of the bastards quickly and efficiently, all the while unloading about thirty rounds into a single man.
They certainly enjoyed the fight and the smell of blood as it sprayed into the air.
Manbat swooped down, snatching a couple of the masked men in his claws, flying up high to drop them, bashing them on the concrete floor of the abandoned warehouse like a seagull smashing open clams.
"Suggestions?" The Clock King demanded. "Before our time is up."
Blasting a hole the size of a fist into the gut of an oncoming assailant, Two-Face scowled. Why did they have to be the ones to make the decisions?
And then, like the heated blessings of the Gods, fire rained down on the masked men, the heat driving the three men further back against the wall they had already been pinned tightly against.
Two-Face levelled their guns, but it was hard to aim as the fire that blinded them made everything beyond it a mess of black.
The scent of burning flesh filled the warehouse and it choked Harvey, but sent Two-Face's blood pumping.
There were screams and the crackling of flesh and intense heat that burned their own flesh uncomfortably, and then black smoke and finally silence.
The warehouse was eerily still and for a moment Two-Face wondered if they should even bother looking to see what fresh hell was upon them.
Cracking an eye, Harvey found Firefly standing behind a mass of charred bodies, his wings expanded, his hands holding his flamethrower calmly. From behind his strong form, a tiny fawn coloured head peeked and the Mad Hatter beamed at them, before emerging from the safety of Firefly's flame retardant body.
"You singed my best bowler," the Clock King remarked casually, holding his wounded shoulder like a gentleman wounded in a fencing competition. "However I applaud your timing."
Gripping their coin, Two-Face tossed it up, hoping its scarred countenance shone up them.
Holding out their hand, they smiled as the coin landed scarred side up in the very centre.
A smaller hand gripped theirs and tipped it down so that a pair of big eyes could peer at the results.
The Mad Hatter blinked up at him as Two-Face levelled their gun at the haberdasher.
Grabbing hold of the barrel, Firefly pushed the weapon up and moved in between Two-Face and the Mad Hatter.
"Follow us." He instructed grimly.
"We don't generally let little bugs issue orders to us." Two-Face snarled.
"Unless of course you can provide solid evidence as to why we should?" Harvey broke in calmly, pocketing their good hand.
"Because if you don't, you'll most assuredly meet your end." The Mad Hatter warbled. "When you reach the end, then all that's left is the end and the end can't go on any further."
"Wait…wha?" Two-Face sneered at the meek fellow. "He'd better start making sense or we'll let our gun sort out his tongue."
"Our kind are dying." Firefly stated.
Releasing his wounded shoulder to casually check his pocket watch with a bloodied hand, the Clock King sniffed. "Well, this has been…litigious. But I have neither the time nor the blood left in my veins to withstand it further."
"We'd fare better as a unit." Firefly went on.
The villains all turned their full attentions on him.
"We have a fortress, but it could do with a few more soldiers to defend it."
Two-Face frowned, but deep inside Harvey listened to reason.
"You're looking for cooperation from men and women who don't exactly play nice with the other children? Have you lost the last vestiges of your mind?" Harvey demanded.
"We have tea," the Mad Hatter offered.
All the men present blinked at the shortest man present.
"And a chair." He added.
Everyone decided to just ignore him in unison.
"Anyways," Firefly went on. "What we need is every last one of you at your very best."
"Who's in charge of this little army?" Maxie Zeus demanded. "Surely no mortal or demi-God could possibly think to rule the mighty Zeus."
There was a pause, before Firefly began, "Scarecrow."
"I know not this 'scarecrow' of which you speak." Maxie Zeus exclaimed.
Firefly shifted on his feet, before pleading gruffly. "Oh, come on."
The bearded man blinked evenly at Firefly, who relented with a deep sigh.
"The God of…Fear." He clarified.
"Phobos? He dares command the King of the Gods?!"
"Look, pal-"
"Why the mere thought sends the heavens trembling at my rage!"
Without a further word, Firefly turned sharply on his heel and marched off into the darkness of the surrounding warehouse.
The Mad Hatter blinked, squeezed his rabbit toy and hurried after him.
Quietly, holding his wounded shoulder, the Clock King followed.
Overhead Manbat screeched and with a flurry of his leathery wings, swooped and darted off as well.
They were seated in the glass lookout, back against the giant light mechanism of the lighthouse later that night, studying the sea when the Scarecrow folded his long frame on a chair at his side quietly.
"After the division the two parts of man, each desiring his other half, came together," the lanky villain quoted quietly.
Two-Face scowled deeply at the ocean. "You'd better pray that wasn't a come-on."
"In all my years as a psychologist I've never come across a case such as yours." Crane admitted. "You might say I'm fascinated by your duality. Who makes the decisions? Who's the stronger personality?"
"We didn't come here to be shrunk."
Eyeing them like a child full of wonder, Jonathan Crane moved in a little closer, studying them like any good doctor would. "You can't blame me. A man who loves classic cars can't pass an Invictus without wanting to look under the hood and a man who picks brains can't pass a Two-Face without wanting to study him a little."
"Study Jervis, he'd be a lot less inclined to shove a Glock down your throat and pull the trigger."
"Jervis? Jervis is easy, he's delusional, suffers obsessive compulsive disorder. Simple diagnosis. But you?" Scooting his chair closer, Crane beamed his cold, cruel grin. "You're a whole new level of twisted, aren't you?"
Two-Face wanted to just shoot the annoying brat, but deep down Harvey was wounded by his words and they were conflicted again.
"How do you think? I mean, who does the thinking?"
Removing their eyes from the moonlit waters, Two-Face studied the cracks in the wood at their feet.
"Hey, Jon?" Pamela Isley broke the moment, climbing the stairs into the glassed in area. "Kirk is trying to roost in the rafters, is that a good idea?"
"As long as he's not leaving little guano presents all over the place, why should you care?" The Scarecrow snarled.
"Well, the rafters are groaning and this whole place might collapse about our ears, but who cares, right?"
Sighing deeply, Jonathan Crane pushed to his feet. "And why is it my duty to remove the nocturnal rodent?" He snarled, limping off after Ivy.
Sighing, they looked out at the ocean one last time, before pushing to their feet as well and following the others inside.
Down in the dusty first floor area, Two-Face spied a sleek creature in black PVC and tilted their head.
"Well, look what cat dragged itself in." Crane murmured.
Catwoman tilted her head and peered out of her mask with gimlet eyes. "Jon, if you were any less pathetic looking, you'd be a hobo in a Normal Rockwell painting."
"Wow, someone just brushed up on their Americana classics," the Scarecrow retorted dryly. "I thought you went with our dear Eddiekins to the mystical Far East."
Dropping her shapely legs from where they rested on a chair opposite her, Catwoman purred deep in her throat. "Why on Earth would I go anywhere willingly with that gigantic elf?" She inquired.
"Oh, just thinking you might get to missing him," Crane replied.
Two-Face eyed the others as this conversation took place, everyone was milling about, close enough to overhear the two, but far enough away to look casual about eavesdropping.
"You should be glad I came around, Jon." Catwoman went on. "I hear you and yours have been getting creamed by a multitude of masked assailants."
"You came around to help or to hinder, Selina?" Crane demanded. "Because so far all you've done is take up space and breathe our air."
"Watch it," she suggested firmly. "Or I may just use you for a scratching post."
"Anytime, kitten."
"Is it me or has everyone been a little more…miserable lately?" The Clock King asked Ivy who was standing nearby.
Two-Face quirked their brow at this.
"It could be because none of us are really the 'play nice' types, Fugate." Ivy replied.
"Want me to stop them?" Firefly asked, coming to a neat stop right behind Ivy, towering over her by about a foot.
Ivy smiled softly. "I don't think your method of getting attention is warranted here and now."
"The offer stands," he replied, moving off again for his dark corner.
"Why don't we stop fighting and work on a counter-attack plan," Jervis chirped, suddenly lucid and making sense like a normal being.
There was a deep, black hole of silence that broke over the entirety of the criminals in the lighthouse as all eyes turned on the little, buck toothed fellow.
"Did someone say 'tea'?" He warbled shyly, suddenly mad as…well as a hatter again.
Two-Face smirked, drawing the good side of their mouth up devilishly.
"The little pipsqueak is right," the Clock King said. "We need to form some sort of order amongst thieves. I suggest we elect a leader and I nominate myself."
"Ha!" Maxie Zeus exclaimed. "If anyone is fit to lead you mortals and demi-gods around, it's me! I am – after all – a King and a God!"
"I suggest Jonny-boy." Catwoman purred.
The Scarecrow smirked darkly. "The woman has brains."
"That way when he screws things up we can lynch him." She went on.
"Harlot."
"Ass."
"I nominate Jon as well," Ivy broke in.
The Scarecrow turned suspicious eyes on her.
She shifted uncomfortably on her feet. "I hate him, but he's no good for much else with that broken leg of his. We may as well put him behind the lines."
"I'm half insulted and a little flattered," he replied.
"I won't stand behind the God of Fear!" Maxie exclaimed. "It's beneath mighty Zeus to follow orders!"
"I like the March Hare," the Mad Hatter pointed out. In his arms the squeak toy gave a broken wheeze. "But alas he votes for the Gryphon."
"That's three votes," Ivy said. "Who else for Jonny."
Grasping their coin, Two-Face gave it a flip. "We're voting for the scrawny little geek," they growled after reading the results.
"Four. Anyone else?"
"Why not? We're running short on time and I really could care less," the Clock King sighed.
"Five. Five wins it." Ivy said. "Don't let us down, Jon, or I'll kill you myself."
The Scarecrow frowned slightly. "You're trying to put fear into a fearless man, Pammie. Shut up and watch me work." Limping forward, the tall, gangly fellow addressed the group. "Alright, to begin with, let's get two pairs of eyes up in the light tower. Clock King, you and Maxie Zeus take the first watch. Manbat, I want you in the air in the general area. Next I want to put our most capable in charge of scouting. We work in pairs for safety until we figure out who we're up against. Firefly," he called out.
The tall, broad shouldered arsonist looked up from where it seemed he was napping on his feet in a dark corner.
"I want you on the streets tracking down the source of these suicidal assailants. Take Selina with you, report back every hour on the hour or we'll assume you're dead."
"With what?"
"Selina's got sticky fingers, I'm sure she can get us some cell phones."
Catwoman scoffed. "I can get us cell phones in thirty minutes."
"Good, take Lynns with you and bring us back a couple and get some ammunition and weapons while you're out. Pam," he turned to the green skinned woman, "I'm making you my second-in-command. You're in charge of micro managing."
The red headed smiled. "You have good taste."
"Two-Face, I'm putting you in charge of security, when the alarms are raised I want you leading the charge. Everyone listen to him if we go into battle. Jervis!" He paused.
The Mad Hatter seemed to be filling the March Hare with tea through a rip in the stuffed animal's back. It soaked through and trickled onto the floor, leaving a stinky, rotten leaf and twig tea puddle on the floor.
"Just…ah…don't get underfoot." Crane went on. "Everyone else comprehend their roles?"
Everyone nodded the affirmative and set out to do their assigned tasks, leaving Scarecrow to smirk in triumph and fold his arms. "Eddie's little butt-boy, eh Pammie?" He teased.
She shrugged. "I'm not impressed by any measure."