James: Chapter 11
James hated feasts and festivals. There was a lot of people drinking and pushing into each-other, a lot of noise, and most of the time he was stuck guarding everyone. Lord Tywin had asked, but more or less ordered, all of the city guard to remain in the city save for a couple dozen while his own men saw to the protection for the feast. James chose fifty of his best men to guard the entrance to the wide green field where the feasting tables and spreads of food had been set up. There were eight columns of tables stretching on for at least a hundred feet each, with a row of large oak tables placed at the far end for the nobles and lords.
Bruce Wayne sat at the center, with his adoptive ward at his left, and Lord Tywin to his right. To Lord Tywin's right sat his lieutenant Ser Borsan, a man who James had come to over the past weeks when he had need of something from Lord Tywin. Lately Ser Borsan had been more dispersed in his appearances at the City Watch's main keep, it made James' stomach feel uneasy. Whatever he and Tywin were planning, James knew it would not be any better for the city than what they had already been doing.
James still did not dispute Lord Tywin's measures to hang the killers, geld the rapers, and so on. Crime had dropped more considerably in the past month or so than in the past three years combined, so James was grateful for that. But he still did not think such brutal tactics were absolutely necessary.
"The world is made up of men that do more than what's necessary to see their goals finished, and those who are wanting of the will to do so. Choose Ser Gordon, which side do you wish to be on," Lord Tywin had told him when James had tried asking if they could lighten the punishments to some degree. James had to thank the lord for giving him time to see his daughter again, but he was not particularly grateful for what the Lion Lord had done to his city.
Some nights James laid awake, with young Barbara curled up beside him, wondering if he should have chosen to help Batman over Lord Tywin. Some of those nights he would look down at his daughter asleep beside him and know he made the right choice. Other nights, he would look out the window to the moon shining down on his face, knowing he had hammered the final nail in his city's coffin.
His daughter remained home tonight, James didn't want her getting lost amongst the hordes of drunk city folk cheering and singing and shoving. The feast had started in the late afternoon, but the sun had set a few hours ago and still the crowd buzzed with cheering and music. Servants darted in and out of the columns of people trying to bring the freshly grilled pig or more mead to the tables. The Lannister soldiers were spotted amongst the crowd as well. Nearly all of Tywin Lannister's men were here to guard the people, but shortly after the feast began and no threats presented themselves, the men started to drink. They drank ale brewed especially for them by the alehouses of Gotham and one that the city folk were not allowed to drink from. Most of them were well beyond drunk by now.
James edged his way through the mass of commoners until he arrived at the center of the lords' table. Tywin Lannister was sipping from a glass filled with a rare Arbor wine that he had saved for the occasion specifically. He was wearing his best crimson doublet inlaid with cloth-of-gold. He still had his sword and scabbard on his belt but did not wear any of his customary armor.
Lord Wayne was dressed in a silk doublet that was as black as his hair with golden buttons running up its front. He looked quite drunk as he whispered something in a passing girl's ear and delivered a hit to her rear with the palm of his hand, both of which made her giggle. His wine was spilling out of his glass as he twirled it around carelessly. His ward Richard Grayson was sitting beside him looking as bored as if he were being forced to watch the grass of this field grow. Ser Borsan was sitting dutifully and upright to Lord Tywin's side, looking out at the people. James was rather surprised, Borsan seemed rather sociable and humorous amongst his men. It was most likely due to his close proximity to his lord. The nobles always ruin the fun of those they rule over. He was close enough to hear them speaking though.
"Oh Borsan take your helmet off, this is a feast. You and your men have done an admirable job. So come, drink, celebrate," Tywin half asked, half ordered his man.
James thought Borsan smirked but couldn't tell from beneath the man's helm, "Well my lord, I would like to be able to remember this night, if it please you."
Lord Tywin grunted in agreement and stood from his chair. Within a few minutes the entire drunken crowd had grown nearly silent. He raised his glass and bellowed out, "People of Gotham! Tonight, we show what strength and will are capable of! Your city is safer than it has been in a decade! Criminals run scared from the eyes of the law! And you can all sleep more soundly as I promised! And what has the Batman given you? I have not seen him since I've arrived. Maybe he's as craven as the rest of the scum of your city! Maybe he's no better than them. So I propose a toast, to Gotham and those that would truly stand to defend it while others would run and hide!"
The entirety of the crowd, thousands of smallfolk, raised their glasses together. The Lannister soldiers drunkenly raised theirs soon after. Every glass filled with a freshly cold brew that the servants had passed around the tables in mass. Lord Tywin lifted his glass to his lips and drank, while the crowd beneath him roared and all drank to cheers of "Lannister! Lannister!"
Then James heard a scream from his right, followed by a few more from his left. As James looked out upon the crowd from the lords' table's front, Lannister soldiers were collapsing to the ground. James looked back to Lord Tywin quickly, whose mouth was hanging ever so open to show his shock. When James turned back to the crowd, all of the crimson armored soldiers he could see were now on the ground.
He ran to the nearest one as the crowd hushed in silence. He pulled off the man's helm and nearly vomited at the sight he was greeted with. The soldier's face was twisted, his mouth stretched inhumanly. His lips were thin, his pink gums were turned light green and completely visible. The corners of his lips were pulled back halfway to his ear in a…smile.
Then James heard it, a sound that had haunted his nightmares for the past month. It echoed over the silent crowd, and made James' spine shudder as if it were ice, just like it had the first time he heard the dreadful sound. That demonic, inhuman laughing. James turned to face the source of the hideous noise from behind him at the lords' table. He looked down the row, from the Andrews, to the Drakes, to the Grayson boy, to Bruce Wayne who had suddenly sobered, to Lord Tywin, and finally to Ser Borsan. The man was standing up laughing maniacally from beneath his golden, lion crested helm. No, not him.
Borsan slowly raised his hands up, and lifted the helmet from his head. The green hair bobbed slightly after being relieved of the weight of the helm. The green eyes darted around the crowd, soaking in all of the terror on the commoners' faces. And the blood red lips, they were turned up into a wicked grin, as the man continued laughing.
The Joker stood before his crowd, cupped a hand to the side of his mouth, and began shouting, "Good evening sers and ladies! I am tonight's entertainment! I do hope you've enjoyed yourselves thoroughly. No, truuuuuly, you all deserve it! I mean, I would be ecstatic too if I had some lord who shits gold come to my home and just sweep all of my little darn troubles away! But eat your fill and drink your mead my good people! Because after tonight…Gotham. Is. MINE! HAHAHAHAHAAA!"
Joker: Chapter 3
He was simply a performer on a stage before thousands. Hundreds lay dead, hundreds wept, and every last person cowering before him was filled with fear. It was like an elixir to his blood, spurning it on and making him feel more alive than he ever did in any other moment in his life. He could see the daring few on the edges of the crowd begin to run. "Boys!"
At once, dozens of the henchmen he had collected over the past month drew their swords from beneath their cloaks. They were amongst the crowd, posing as commoners simply there to drink and feast like the rest. As soon as the crowd's people saw the bladed steel they cowered back into their pathetic herd. Ah I do love when the flock follows their shepherd.
All of the Lannister soldiers lay dead on the ground, smiles upon their usually grim faces. There were a few city guards at the entrance to the feasting grounds, but they shouldn't pose a problem for the hundred or two thugs that were to be marching up the main road by now. The rest of the City Watch would not get word of the uprising for at least half an hour. Plenty of time…
Joker looked out upon his audience with a grand smile. "People of Gotham! Behold your new lord! The clown prince of crime! Hahaha! Oh right, where are my manners. I have yet to address our gracious hosts!"
Joker turned to face the lords sitting to his left. Lord Tywin's face was completely aghast in shock as he looked up at the white faced man wearing the crimson armor of his underlings. Bruce Wayne sat next to him, his eyes open with terror before slowly narrowing to a glare. The young circus boy sat to his left, looking so juicily terrified it made Joker giddy with joy.
"My dear lords, I do humbly beg your forgiveness for forgetting to introduce myself before addressing these commoners. They are beneath us are they not? I know Lord Tywin shares my idea don't you ya old gray-maned lion? Brucey how ya been? How're the parents doi…oops. Heehee oh I do forget such important things these days, pray forgive me my insanity. Young Grayson, same question. Hahahahaaha!"
Lord Tywin rose from his chair, his hand on the hilt of his blade as he growled, "I care not for who you are fool, but if you da-"
Joker cut him off, "Tsk Tsk Tywin where is your sense of humor? Is it because you believed me to be Ser Borsan? Oh my sweet fool, Borsan's been dead for nearly a month! Ahahaha! I killed him practically as soon as he got here. You never kept a close enough eye or knew your men intimately enough to know all of those little ticks and goodies that only they did. If you were that smart you would have seen this coming leagues away! HAHA! And as to who I am, you will care of that soon enough. For I am here to change this entire world! Men have called me a fool, women have called me a nightmare, children stay awake at night crying that the white-faced demon clown does not come to them in the night. I am Joker! And I'm here to burn this world to the ground! Oh Tywin, I have a great jape that I feel you can appreciate. I saw a man pickpocketing from a dwarf the other day, and as I watched I couldn't help but think, how could anyone stoop so low! Hahaha!"
Joker doubled over laughing as Tywin angrily drew his sword and took a step towards the murderous clown. Joker took notice immediately and raised a finger. "No, no Lord Tywin, one should not be so quick to anger. It could get a man killed."
He drew a knife from his pocket and began tossing it back and forth between his hands. Tywin mouth grew tighter, with one end curving up into the ever slightest smirk. "You plan to take me on with a mere dagger? You truly do have a death wish."
"Oh no, I have no wish to die. I love killing too much to die. Without me, this world would be such a dark, lonely place. It's so sad to think about, it almost makes me cryyy. Now Lord Tywin, you have been holding a secret back from our lovely onlookers! Go on! Tell them why you truly came to Gotham!"
Lord Tywin glared at the Joker with a look that would burn his soul if it could. "I know not of what you speak of clown."
Joker looked out to the crowd of terrified city folk. "People! My people! This man is a liar, tyrant, murderer, and above all, he's a Lannister! But do not fret! For I have found a way to even the playing field. As we speak, my men are raiding the Lannister camp! Taking any gold they can find, which if rumors be true will be found mostly in Lord Tywin's chamber pot! Anyone that wishes to receive from the gift of Lord Golden Shit's generosity need only come to the main city square in one hour! Unless, Lord Tywin gives himself in, and comes with me, then I will allow him to keep his gold!"
Joker turned back to Tywin, to see if defeat was in his eyes. Joker was disappointed as he was met with that same defiant glare. Hmm maybe the old fool isn't going to give in after all.
NO! He will, just wait and see. He cares too much for his pride to let you get away with his gold in tow, his second inner voice spoke up.
Ooh hoo! I do hope we are right! Otherwise…HE will never come…
Joker briefly felt like frowning at that thought, but had his faith restored when Lord Tywin let out a deep sigh and looked down to the ground.
HA! He's MINE! Now it's time to start preparing the true celebration…
"Oh good show Lord Tywin! Everyone I think this noble man deserves a round of applause!"
The crowd did nothing as they continued cowering and looking on with faces wrought with terror. Joker frowned, and looked to the closest of his men. "Ipsen, please do give the people some, incentive," Joker said plainly and without any enjoyment in his voice.
The thug nodded in agreement and drove his sword into the chest of the nearest man he could find. As the man collapsed into a pool of his own blood, the surrounding city folk let out a sorrowful wail and the crowd grew even thicker with fear.
"Now…let us try that again shall we? I said, give this man a round of applause!"
The crowd slowly began clapping sparsely until all Joker could hear was the lovely waves of hands slapping together filling his ears. Ahhh now that is a beautiful song to be heard.
"Pilo! Do make sure our guest of honor does not harm himself before the big celebration!"
Pilo emerged from the crowd with a length of iron chain, and jumped up onto the upraised platform on which the lords' table sat. He pushed the table aside and pushed Tywin back into his chair as he proceeded to bind him to it.
"Ahh there we go, wouldn't want you slipping on a banana peel and breaking your neck now would we? Mol, Kol! Make sure that he returns with us safely."
Two massive brutes emerged from the crowd, arms as round as two of Joker's waists. Strong, but fools, just how I like my henchmen. Each grabbed a side of Lord Tywin's chair and raised him up into the air. Lord Tywin looked out upon the terror-struck crowd and Joker could have sworn for a brief moment the Lion Lord's face actually glimpsed a look of fear. Peeeeerfectt Heeheehee.
"Well my people! Your lord must leave you now! The funny white-faced one, not the cripple, Hehe! I will see you again in an hour however, where we make you all rich as a lion!"
Tywin erupted in anger, "You deranged fool! You said if I gave myself in you would-"
Joker cut him off by jabbing his knife into Tywin's thigh and twisted it violently. The old man cried out from the unexpected, intense feeling of pain, returning a big smile to Joker's face. He put a hand on Mol's shoulder and jumped up to sit upon Lord Tywin's lap in the upraised chair.
"I bid you farewell my people! Remember, the best way to make it through your dull, meaningless days is with a smile! Hahahah!" The two colossal thugs turned and stepped down from the upraised platform and walked towards the back of the field. A horse drawn wagon pulled up and Mol and Kol unloaded their cargo in the covered, leather seated cabin and sat down on the flat bed behind it.
The carriage took off and passed by the crowd of horrified city-folk and continued on down the hill. Joker watched the outline of the city expand before him, the way the moonlight reflected off the roofs and towers jutting out from the cityscape. It will look so lovely when it all burns.
Joker broke the silence, "Do you want to know what happened to your little orange and black dog, Tywin? Do you see this?" He withdrew a dagger from inside his jacket, with a thin blade and dark elm hilt. "I took this blade, and drew it right across your little Deathstroke's neck, Hehehe. Ohh the look on his pathetic old face as he gasped those precious last breaths, knowing that they would be his last…Mmmmm it's enough to keep me going onwards to be sure."
Lord Tywin growled, "You killed Slade? Why?"
Joker's lips formed an evil smile as he said in an angry tone without humor. "Because he was not worthy to kill Batman. Batman is mine and mine alone to kill."
Lord Tywin leaned back in his chair, in fear, "Who are you…? What is your name, what house do you belong to?"
Joker laughed hysterically at that, "Hahahahaa! Does it matter? You see Lord Tywin, the only thing that separates you from me is one. Bad. Day. Just one rotten day to transform a man, to a monster. Hehehe, but you know all about that don't you ya old bastard. Life brings thousands, tens of thousands of little torments in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Does it matter what my name was before? Does it matter what house I belong to? I could be of house Joker! With one of those laughing Hyenas from across the narrow as my sigil. My words will be. The last man to laugh, is the last man to stand! HAHAHA!"
Then Joker cut his laughing off mid outburst and grew more solemn. "I was the bastard of some lord… He stowed me away in his castle because his honor kept me there since my mother had passed, but he despised me. Everyday my simple existence reminded him of his lack of honor, I shamed him just by living. So one night, he has his maester concoct a deadly, evil mixture. He comes into my chambers as I slept, and poured every last drop of it on my face! Hoping to destroy that face that looked like a spitting image of his own! But, it didn't work hehehehe…he did not kill me! He only made me look like him, if his inner monster were put on display on his face! I killed him after that. After all, what doesn't kill you simply makes you…stranger."
Lord Tywin looked at his captor with uncertainty, "Is that the truth of it…what are you…?"
Joker looked up at the man, his lips slowly turning from a deep frown, to a grand smile that reached from cheek to cheek. "No of course that isn't the truth, or perhaps it is. It does become so hard to remember. And what else would I be you bloody fool? You commit a lifetime of sins and injustices, I am merely the reaper come for your head. My cloak is my white face and my scythe is my smile! HahehahahaHahAHAHA!" Joker struck his head out of the carriage window and let his menacing laugh echo down through the city, bouncing off the stone walls and streets. The city was so close to being his.
Bruce: Chapter 15
He rode faster than he ever had before. Bruce did not know what this mad man had planned for Gotham, but may the Seven damn him for eternity if he would let this white-faced murderer succeed. Bruce still was not sure of Joker's plan, but he knew that whatever it was, it spelled only ruin for Gotham. He remembered the look on the mad man's face as he watched the hundreds of Lannister soldiers' bodies grow cold on the ground.
How did he do it…the soldiers drank what the rest of the crowd did for the toast. They did drink a special wine…but they only died after drinking for the toast. It was one of the many problems that plagued Bruce about this new, oddly colored assailant. First Deathstroke, then Tywin, now Joker, Bruce feared for the next vividly colored figure he would see on the horizon heading towards Gotham.
He rounded a street corner and sped on towards the eastern regions of Gotham, where Joker lay in wait at the city's center. Gordon would be making sure the City Watch would be there in full force, but if Joker had a way to kill six centuries of Lannister soldiers he could easily kill the five hundred city guardsmen. Gordon must have been as shocked as Lord Tywin when Joker removed his lion helmet. Ser Borsan had spent a great deal of time in the City Watch's main keep, his chambers directly beside Gordon's.
After Joker had fled the feast in his carriage, Gordon immediately ran back to the city to gather his men. The crowds fled in an aggressively turbulent flood of frightened bodies as they returned to their homes. Bruce ordered Alfred to take Dick home, and to order the wall guards to not allow anyone past the castle's main walls. Dick looked scared, but after seeing his parents die before his eyes, six hundred helmeted strangers must have been leagues easier.
Alfred followed orders without question, and Bruce limped to the woods beyond the field. Once hitting the tree line, he lifted his cane and sprinted. Approximately two hundred paces in he found a wooden carriage lying in wait in a grassy clearing. Lucius sat in the driver's seat reading a small book when he looked up and noticed Bruce running towards him. He stepped down to the ground and moved to the door of the carriage.
"Now I'm not gambling man, but I wager Lord Tywin's party had a few hitches from the sounds of it," Lucius said with a grin as he opened the door for Bruce.
"Joker appeared, killed most of Tywin's men in a matter of moments," Bruce replied as he began shedding his formal wear.
Lucius' brow raised in surprise. "Well good thing we brought you your true party suit."
Bruce ducked inside and pulled the latch under the seat opposite him. It unlocked, and he pulled the leather bench up. Bruce's eyes were met with his armor, waiting for him in the hidden booth. Bruce fastened his armor on as quickly as he could. Lucius helped him tighten his chest armor and greaves while Bruce donned his helmet and buckled his belt around his waist. He took his horse from beside the carriage and rode off.
That was nearly twenty minutes ago, and now Bruce was only five streets down from his destination. As he got closer he could see a mass of people blocking off the streets. Damn, they actually came. Bruce knew Joker's offer was not a bluff, but he also knew that a man who kills six hundred people for pure enjoyment would assuredly not hold to his word. Bruce knew where Joker would be waiting. A man that enjoys watching people suffer as if it were a play would surely want the best possible seat. And no seat had a better view of the square than the City Watch's keep standing in the center of the city, beside the main square. The turret overlooking the square was easily defendable and happened to be the tallest point for four hundred feet in any direction.
Bruce steered his mount into a side alley and tied it down to go the rest of the way on foot. He took the one-handed crossbow from the horses saddle pack and shot it up to the top of the nearest roof. The bolt-head caught, and Bruce began his climb up the metal rope. He jumped from rooftop to rooftop as he saw the three towers of the Watch's central keep rising up above the line of shingled and plates roofs.
Bruce knew if Joker killed Tywin, the armies of Casterly Rock would surely march on Gotham and reduce the city to smoldering ashes in the name of vengeance. Bruce could not, would not let that happen. Letting Joker kill Tywin would ruin any chances Bruce had of saving Gotham. He shot his grappling shot again, this time it connected on the top of the turret at the back of the guard's keep. He scaled the wall, and heaved himself up over the ledge and onto the flat landing behind it. He gazed across the gap of open air and discovered his assumption was right. There on the front-most turret sat Lord Tywin, still bound in his chair, the two large thugs that had lifted him, and Joker. He was looking out over the square to watch the townsfolk come right into the palm of his hand like mice to cheese.
Time to test it, may whatever gods that still look over me let this work. Bruce knelt down and pulled out the modified attachment Lucius had made for his crossbow. It was a second, smaller bow to be attached to the back of the original. When fired, a second bolt would fly behind the shooter, and a second bolt head would pierce into whatever surface it could. Both bolt heads were connected to the single, strongly wound metal rope. The rope had a length of three hundred feet Lucius had told him, and could be tethered in the middle so the rope could be shortened and made taught.
Bruce pulled the trigger, and both Valyrian steel arrow heads flew in opposing directions. The forward one punctured into the shoulder-high wall surrounding Joker's turret while the one that fired backwards pierced into the wall behind Bruce. Joker did not hear the noise it seemed as he was so engulfed in the sounds of the city folk below. Tywin was unconscious, and the two brutes were looking out to where their leader's gaze was. Bruce stood, stepped onto the wire, and began to walk across it into the open air. The rope dancers taught me well.
When he was three quarters of the way across the gap between the two towers, Joker turned and took notice of his incoming guest. He giggled with anticipation before shouting, "Oh good you received my invitation after all! Nice toy you have there!"
Bruce reached the tower and stepped off and onto the stone. Joker just stood there, smiling and staring at Bruce. Remember, he is only a man, the same as you. His two brutes took a step forward but Joker stretched an arm out to stop them. The hand then went up to his mouth as he stood, almost in awe it seemed, staring at Batman before him. He finally spoke after a few moments, "I am sorry, but I'm just soooo happy that you actually came. I have been waiting so longggg for this day. Having to deal with foolish lords, arrogant knights, pathetic guards. They all were just so, so…boring."
Joker paced over to where Lord Tywin sat and placed a hand under the man's whiskered chin and raised it so that he could gaze at the unconscious lord's face. "Weak, mindless fools that think themselves kings of this world. Ohh how mad they are, coming from me, hehe. They all say I'm mad, but no, I am not, not truly. For I am just ahead of the curve in this world. I see things how they truly are. They are no more kings of this land than a man could try and be king of the air, or the sea. They play this game of thrones to get richer, more renowned, more loved, or just to show the world that they are great. Pfft, the lot of them will all die sorrowful deaths in their beds, names lost to time. But not you, you I have been waiting what seems like an eternity for."
Bruce decided not to move, Joker could kill Tywin in an instant before Bruce could so much as draw a knife from his belt. Joker seemed to have more of a reason for his actions than just shaming Lord Tywin, and Bruce wanted to know what it was. "Why me?" was all that he said.
"Every force in history had a force to oppose it! Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark had King Aerys, the First Men had the Andals, and you have me. You are the unstoppable force that will clash with me, the immovable object, for years to come! And they will write stories and tell the tales of how Batman and Joker clashed in epic battles across decades for the soul of Gotham! You are the good, and I am your bad. Your justice and order versus my lawlessness and chaos! You complete me!"