Disclaimer: I do not own Batman.
A/N: …I'm not even going to say anything about my (*looks at calendar*) almost seven-month absence. (*clears throat awkwardly*)
Shout-outs:
Lady Cocoa: Yeah, I think I am not going to stray from explosions.
Son of Whitebeard: Thanks! I found it a little difficult to get the Joker's exact humor down, but thank you for the compliment!
TheClownPrincessOfCrime: Yay! I think I know why you're happy to see Bonnie's mannerisms. (*wink*)
Rocco's car shrieked to a stop behind their boss' car. All of the henchmen quickly got out of the vehicle, even though they did not notice the Joker (or the girl, for that matter) right away.
When they finally saw the two tucked away in the shadows nearby, everyone except Roc gulped at how the boss' murderous, unblinking eyes were the only things visible in the tent's shade.
"Oh, I thought you would be late." One of the henchmen shuddered when the Joker's startling white smile also became visible.
The resounding laughter from the audience inside also became apparent to the goons. Its harmlessness was a harsh contrast to the look on the Joker's face, and the circus' mirth made it seem like it was going to be a nice, safe night in Gotham City.
Taking the goons' unresponsiveness as a moment of silence, the Joker lazily emerged from the shade. He didn't look like he was in much of a hurry to execute his plan, but he seemed to be in the mood of making his henchmen cringe.
It wasn't hard. Even though his hand was behind his back, everyone could tell that the Joker was hiding one of his flag guns.
"Boys, I hope you know the plan, because I'm not telling you again." Spades squirmed when he fingered at his weapon. The boss quickly noticed this, but he then turned his attention to his favorite henchman.
"Roc, did you get the right cameraman inside?"
Rocco nodded.
The Joker laughed. "Good!"
Before he stepped back into the dark, he still saw the goons looking dumbly at him. He growled.
"Well, what are you all waiting for?" The Clown Prince's eyes flickered into a dark shade of crimson. "Get going!"
Having looks of realization, the boys immediately split up and left the scene.
Idiots, the Joker thought. He glimpsed at the child huddled by the red and white tent. Shaking his head, he gave her a small smirk. The kid better have some common sense today.
Motioning Bonnie to walk with him, the criminals ambled to the back entrance for the performers. Bonnie's heartbeat traveled with the little steps she made behind her boss. What if somebody spotted them? Like the acrobats or the clowns? Granted, the boss would probably kill them backstage, but then the audience would find out that they were there too early!
Or what if she messed up? She would embarrass the man that she was starting to look up to, and her life would be cut off right then!
And what if…he found out what was going on? He could have easily discovered the blueprints that were left behind in the first warehouse!
The boss burned all of them, silly, one part of her mind answered. Or, at least, most of them.
Before she made herself more anxious, the two criminals finally made it to the partially lit-up back entry. Bonnie stared at her contorted reflection in the neon sign. Blinding herself in and out of her vision, she wanted to get lost inside it. That way, she wouldn't have to deal with what was going to come...
The Joker's flag gun clicked, snapping Bonnie out of her thoughtless trance. Her breaths lost their steadiness.
"Since I told the boys that I would not repeat myself, I'll do all the same for you," said the boss. "I am such a fair person, aren't I?"
Bonnie hastily nodded as he twirled his weapon, doing all sorts of tricks with it. The Joker looked at the child again.
"Get inside," he ordered, having the gun flip in the air. The girl flinched, but she obeyed.
Her feet trudged through the dirt, and her eyes examined the cluttered backstage that took over her vision. Drunken circus music hypnotized her ears, and some particles of dust came out of Bonnie's lungs in the warm brown atmosphere. There was only one path to follow through the backstage, and it was surprisingly clean-cut. Avalanches of boxes, thrown-out tightropes, and lone costumes crowded the rest of the area.
Turning and walking on the trail, the music and the loud stunts grew louder with every footstep. Hearing the sound of a whip from the ringmaster, Bonnie slowed her pace.
She eventually saw the path lead to the colorful entry of the main stage. Only red curtains hid the duo from the crowd.
"Now we just have to wait for the boys," the Joker loudly whispered, with the sound of drying chalk rubbing across his vocal chords. "I've got some other helpers disguised here, but you don't know 'em. There's no one else backstage. And…when is this thing going to end?"
The circus acts seemed to go on for eternity. They heard the stadium cheer as the tightrope quivered. The lions roared and the ringleader laughed. The Joker checked his imaginary watch.
The ground shifted when the crowd finally got up for a round of applause. Bonnie's pulse quickened when she heard the murmurs from the performers coming into the other parts of the backstage. The boss, on the other hand, grinned.
His fingers counted down.
"Ten…nine…eight…"
Hisses of green and purple gas came out of the vents near the border of the performance ring and the grandstands. The audience seemed to think it was a part of the show, so the standing ovation continued.
"Seven...six…"
Some of the toxin kicked in the first rows. Again, no one seemed to notice.
"Five…four…three…two…"
As the duo peeked through the curtain, most of the henchmen walked through the main entrance. By then, half of the noise from the stands lost its echo.
"…one."
Shots were fired, and the mirth was sucked out of the people and replaced with hysteria. Forced laughter, overpowered by the circus music, burst out of the spectators, and the spotlights swirled inside the big top, waiting for Gotham's greatest star.
Bonnie looked at the Joker. He winked.
With that, he adjusted his coat flower, plucked Bonnie's top hat off her head, and swiped at the curtains. Strolling outside, he entered nirvana hearing the sounds of chaos. He beamed at how people desperately clawed and crawled on top of each other to leave the circus.
When cackles poured out of his mouth, the audience instantly detected him. Their reactions to him were surprisingly varied.
"Everyone—remain ca-calm—"
"WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!"
"Let-let…l-let me through!"
"Why do I ALWAYS end up in these hostage situations?"
"Somebody call Batman!"
"There isn't even a Bat-Signal here, you idiot!"
More warning shots rang out. Cowering behind the curtains, Bonnie noticed the remains of a light source dimming away. After she gazed at her surroundings, she peered outside again. All of the lights vanished above the circus ring, except for the one that followed the dancing figure in purple attire.
As quiet terror stopped much of the stampede from hopelessly escaping, the hired cameraman focused on the Joker. The last remains of active toxin spread into the air, giving mercy to the rest of the audience members.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, you all know what time it is! It's time for some good ole ENTERTAINMENT!" Raising his flag gun in the air, a pole with a "Gotcha!" flag broke into the air. Bonnie winced, and shouts of protests and pleas came about. Even then, the Joker greeted his viewers with open arms.
"Now, I know that I haven't really been around that much…" he giggled. "But I'm going to make that up to you! Honest! A celebrity needs to give back to the public! The last time I did my part for this boring town was weeks ago! Weeks! I only got to visit the orphans!"
Crippling fear—and deadpan annoyance from the unfortunates that were regularly held captive by the Clown Prince—temporarily left the big top, and the uproar took over.
Putting a dramatic hand on his forehead, the Joker shouted, "I know, it's terrible! It was so long ago, and I didn't even get to respond to the media on how much of a wonderful person I am! Sigh. Well, as you all know, the orphans gave such a positive reception to my performance! Boy, it felt great giving back to society!"
The crowd booed, and many people threw as many things as they could at the man.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you all are wondering where one of the stars is!" he continued. "I swear, the news can't stop talking about her!"
All of the parents in the audience held their children close. Many of them were certain that terrible things must have happened to that abducted girl, and some of the more savvy audience members believed that the Joker might have actually broken the poor kid's mind.
Behind the scenes, Bonnie shivered, yet for drastically different reasons than the crowd had in mind.
How…how long has the news known about me…? How long…have they…known about me?
"But don't worry, everybody! Today, I have a guest! She's a little shy, but that's what a lot of kids are like, right, folks? She's practically your average kid down the street!"
Groans rang out from the audience. Many people that were held hostage more than once began to whisper. The Joker noticed, and he held a hand to his ear.
"What is that I hear? You don't believe me?" he gasped, placing his hands on his hips. "What would ever make you all think that I am lying?"
The grandstands grew in anxiety. The Joker sighed, raising his hands in the air.
"Alright, you caught me! I'm telling a white lie here…"
The music, which always sounded like it was on a broken record, slowed down into a minor key. The man paced. He examined the top hat in his hand.
"You see, everyone, if you take a glance at her, all you see is an innocent that has endured the darkness of the world..." the Joker said. "Unlike everyone else, this darkness didn't—couldn't—break her! She fought it with childish courage, and you would think that she wouldn't let herself hurt a fly! But, nope…nope, nope, nope…"
A mischievous giggle left him, building into something ominous. Whispers morphed into shouts.
"The cruelty of the past took her long ago! She wandered into the depths of Gotham's underworld, and no one ever realized it! She embraced the darkness that the criminal world had. And the girl lit it up, in a way you wouldn't expect. All she needed…was a name. Now, someone, someone, had to help her with this. The best of the best. Who do you think that is?"
The tent was in disorder. The Joker cleared his throat. Fear drove into Bonnie's chest.
"Her crimes were petty, but you know her from the papers! And you know her from whatever orphanage you mourned a while ago… Lock your children in your basements, because this girl might just make you rethink innocence!"
Bonnie stood up. The announcer gestured the camera to zoom in on him.
"Introducing…the RINGMASTER!"
She ran. The spotlight popped, engulfing the circus into night. Another round of warning shots rumbled.
Five seconds in, two spotlights turned on. The larger one was above the Joker, and the second shone Bonnie Hatch, isolated on the ringleader stand.
Miles away from the scene, by a deep forest near a secluded mansion, a motorcycle roared. Within seconds, it was gone.