Author's note:
In the spooky spirit of the holiday, I decided to go a bit darker with this story. One path I haven't tried yet is when a hero falls. Let's see where that takes us!
Happy Halloween!
--
Chapter 1: Death of a Hero
I am a loser.
That was a simple fact that I had come to learn over the course of my life. It wasn't because I was a nerd or because I was into anime and comic books. It was just because that is who I am. I am not the hero of my own story. I am just an extra in someone else's.
If there was one thing that really proved it for me, it was Jessica.
She was the girl next door since I had moved to town when I was in elementary school. Even when I couldn't make any friends of my own, she was always nice to me. As we grew up, she faded away into the popular circle while I stayed at the bottom where I was used to. It was empty and it was lonely, but it was also dependable and safe.
Even if I became just another face in the crowd to her, that didn't mean my crush on her ever really faded away. I would still see her and feel my heart skip a beat when she smiled. It didn't matter if she never noticed me. As long as I could hold onto that little happiness, I was okay with that. It was enough for me.
That's why it felt like winning the lottery when fate finally threw me a bone and made me her chem lab partner when we were randomly assorted during junior year of high school. It was like picking up right where we left off and it felt better than I could have ever dreamed. I didn't think that was even a possibility. A popular cheerleader like her giving me the time of day. It sounded like a dream. However, for once, she was smiling at me.
We started spending time together outside of school. At first, it was so that I could help tutor her in some of her weaker subjects since I was a low A's student. Before long, we would actually hang out just for the hell of it. My days were no longer filled with sitting at home and waiting for them to end. Now, there was someone to share them with.
At one point, I finally get the courage to ask her out. To my continued amazement, she even said yes. We made plans to go to the movie theater on Saturday afternoon and see a rom-com that she had been dying to watch.
Saturday rolls around and I am waiting outside the theater for her to show up. When the movie's start time arrives and passes, I start to wonder where she was. I text her, but she never responds. Anyone with common sense could realize what had happened. I actively choose to think positively and trust in her. If I wait long enough, she will come eventually. Hours pass and the movie lets out. I am still waiting there and checking my phone for a response.
Before long, it starts to rain and I have to leave otherwise I am going to get a cold. As I pass by a pizza place down the street, I see something that stops me in my tracks despite the pouring rain and the biting cold.
It was Jessica. She was sitting with some of the other cheerleaders and a few of the football players while laughing and having a great time. It didn't make any sense to me. Why didn't she show up if she was okay?
It was almost like a dream. I didn't want to believe it. So, I decided to prove it to myself. I pull out my phone and send her another text asking if she is alright. Moments later, she looks down at her phone and shows it to the other girls who all burst out laughing. They all laugh at my stupidity before Jessica puts her phone down again without a second glance.
At school, I could feel the eyes on me as I walked through the hallways. Voices whispered as I passed and laughed at the boy who thought he was special. After all, what idiot thought they could go from a nobody to dating a cheerleader?
When I got a chance to ask Jessica why, she just laughs like I said something funny. She said she did it because she got a kick out of messing with my head. Apparently, everyone else knew the joke and I was the only one left in the dark.
It was only a few weeks after that when I took my GED test and dropped out of high school. My life consisted of sitting at home, doing a remote tech support job from my laptop, and painting Warhammer figures so I wouldn't feel so alone. Safe to say, it didn't work.
Once again, I was filling my day with another video game I had gotten from Steam. It was some fantasy game about defending a kingdom or something from invading monsters. I wasn't expecting all that much from it since it seemed like a cookie cutter game from some third party developer. Due to this apathy, I was skipping through all of the worldbuilding cut scenes until I got to the part where I could actually play.
When I finally get to the character creation screen, the first question it asks is which class I wanted to be. There were the main fantasy classes comprised of Swordsman, Archer, Spearman, and Shielder, but there was the welcome surprise of Gunslinger. Most developers wouldn't add something so blantantly mispaced in a fantasy setting, so I thought it would be fun to try out. Hell, maybe I would even be able to use a gunsword or something crazy like that.
It was immediately after I press the button that I collapse to the floor in a burst of light. When it dims, I am in a carved circle with four other guys. The only other people here were several people in church robes.
"Welcome, good heroes," a man says. "You have been summoned to save our world from the danger of the Waves. You are our only hope."
"That sounds really cool and all, but am I qualified to be a hero?" I ask. "I have never even been in a fight."
"The summoning ritual chose individuals with the greatest potential," he explains. "Even if you cannot see it in yourself, we believe it resides within you."
"Why should we even help you?" a guy with a blue sword at his waist asks. "It is not like we asked to come here. If anything, we should be able to do whatever we want."
Two of the other guys chime up as well while me and the guy with a shield looked like we weren't quite sure what we were supposed to do. In the end, we just both went along with the group and met the king who said this long spiel that I kind of mentally skipped since I treated it like one big boring cutscene.
I mean, I paid attention to the important bits. There is a monster invasion that gets worse with each incursion and it was called the Waves. We each got a magic weapon that was based on the different classes. It turns out the silver ring with a purple gemstone on my right hand turns into a gun to everyone's surprise. Apparently, I am the first person with this weapon which is kind of neat. To be honest, I was still zoned out through most of that too. This is way too many people for me to be comfortable around, so I am just trying to get through it without looking weird.
Finally, we all go to a communal suite in the castle so that we can rest before we meet our party members in the morning. It turns out that we came from different versions of Earth based on the differences between our world's histories. It was a little harder to tell with me since I was American while they were Japanese, but it was the general idea that it was probably parallel dimensions instead of different points in time.
After the other guys went to bed, I stayed up and gazed down at the city as it bustled even in the dead of night. Lights among the streets illuminated the citizens as they lived their lives despite the threat that hung over them. Merchants still sold their wares. Men still drank and sang in the streets. Life went on regardless.
Part of me was worried about meeting their expectations. I mean, I'm not a hero. I wouldn't even qualify to be a party member for a hero. Can I really be the one to protect these people? Do I even deserve to?
"Can't sleep, Jack?" a voice behind me asks. I turn to see it is Naofumi standing behind me with a nervous smile. "I am a little too nervous to sleep right now. I thought I would stay up longer to try and calm down."
"Yeah," I admit. "How am I supposed to be this hero they said I am supposed to become? The other guys all seem confident and assured that they can do it in their sleep. I am over here worried that I will just fuck it up. It doesn't help that I am apparently the first Gun Hero too. What if I look like a complete idiot?"
"I think you just have to do your best everyday," Naofumi says. "You just put one foot in front of the other. It doesn't matter how well everyone else thinks you are doing. It just matters if you are doing the best you can. As for being the first Gun Hero, that should make it even easier. No one can compare you to the previous Gun Heroes. That means you can follow your own path without being compared to the heroes of the past."
"You make it sound so simple," I say.
"That's because it is," he replies with a smile. "Living seems to be hard, but it is easier than it looks. The trick is taking it one day at a time."
With thar assurance, I finally go to bed and have a dreamless sleep.
When we woke up, we all got dressed in some new clothes they provided for us and went to the throne room we saw yesterday. Inside, there is a crowd of warriors waiting for our arrival.
"The finest adventurers have come from across the lands," the king says. "They will now choose which of the heroes to join. If the heroes agree, then they will form their parties."
The adventurers dispersed before eventually collecting around their preferred hero. Sword Guy and Bow Guy got the biggest groups while Spear Guy got several as well. I genuinely tried to remember their names, but I blanked on them almost immediately. Naofumi and I didn't seem to get anyone which was kind of a bummer. It was really like being picked last at dodgeball.
However, fortune seemed to find my new friend when a large man in a cloak chose to join him. The man pulled off his hood to reveal a pair of bull horns before he bowed to Naofumi. Naofumi looked to me in confusion before I just gestured at him to accept.
Despite how my happiness for Naofumi, it felt a little worse actually being the last person. I just zoned out like I always do and waited for everything to be over. After all, it is not like it is going to be important. It os probably a whole long speech about working with your party to grow stronger and some power of friendship bullshit. It's not like that applies to someone as unpopular in his second world as he was in his first.
At least, that's what I thought until a girl tapped me on the shoulder. My eyes focus to see a red headed girl smiling at me. She was looking right at me with beautiful green eyes which seemed to sparkle in the light.
"My name is Myne," she tells me. "I asked Sir Motoyasu if I could accompany you instead. I thought you could use some company on your journey. It would be pretty lonely without someone in your party."
It was like the universe was sending me a message. This was the beginning of my new life. I was given a chance to be something more than the loser I used to be and I was a fool if I didn't take it. After all, a pretty girl just said she wants to work with me. Only an idiot would say no.
--
Today had been great. Myne and I had gotten equipment from a good shop and had practiced hunting some balloon monsters in the plains around the castle town. While I definitely needed to work on my aim, she was incredible as she slashed through the vicious little blobs with her sword. It was like she was an angel as the setting sun glistened off the sweat coating her body. She became a vision of beauty that stole my breath away.
I managed to close my dropped jaw quickly, but I could tell that she saw from the small smile on her face. My cheeks burned red with a blush which I hoped was successfully hidden by the light of the sunset as I told her we should call it a day.
After turning in the collected balloon monster scraps at a merchant, we head to a popular inn near the castle. The Spear Guy and the Sword Guy were already there and having a good time. Since I kind of wanted to avoid getting dragged into the mix, we sit over the side.
"So, how has your first day with a hero been?" Myne asks with a smile as we wait for our food. "Everything you dreamed of?"
"I've never really dreamed of being the hero," I admit as I rub the back of my head sheepishly. "Still, it has been pretty nice. I am glad I have someone to share it with."
I try not to blush again at the smile that spreads across Myne's lips. "It is an honor to have such high praise from my hero," she says.
"Well, I kind of just see you as my friend," I reply. "You are a really great person. I couldn't imagine doing any of this without you."
Myne seems genuinely surprised for a moment before her before she recovers with a wider smile. "Oh, a guy is usually courting a girl when he compliments her so much," she tells me with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes. "Are you trying for my hand? If so, I wouldn't be opposed."
I was gaping like a fish until her giggles broke me out of my stupor. I can't help but blush harder when I realize how stupid I just looked in front of her. "Please don't tease me like that," I groan as I cover my face with my hands.
"Who says I am teasing?" she asks with an innocent look on her face.
I don't have a chance to respond before the server finally brings our food and ends the moment.
--
"Come on, let's have a drink," Myne says. "It is customary to share a drink when a party is formed. Do you really want to start our journey with bad luck?"
"I am not really a drinker," I reply as I try to refuse politely. "That isn't something I try to do. I knew a guy in school whose dad was an alcoholic. When the dad got really drunk once, he broke the kid's arm. I don't like the idea of drinking something that can make you lose control like that."
"You don't have to worry," Myne assures me. "I have had a drink once or twice before. I can make sure we both stop before anything bad can happen. Don't you trust me?"
"I do," I assure her. "It's just... I don't want to put you in a position where you have to watch out for me. After all, isn't the guy supposed to protect the girl?"
"I never knew you were so chivalrous," Myne jokes. "I have nothing to fear with my white knight by my side."
I barely keep the blush from my face at Myne's teasing. "Okay, okay," I concede. "You have made your point. I guess one drink couldn't hurt."
"Yay!" she cheers as she claps her hands in excitement. She takes the bottle she had ordered and pours it into the pair of cups that we had been given as well. She slides my cup in front of me with a smile as she holds up her own for a toast. "To a great adventure!"
"To great friends!" I cheer as I toast as well. We tap our cups together before drinking them. My eyes widen as my sweet flavor of the wine surprises me. I always thought alcohol would be a lot stronger and more unpleasant, but this is great!
"See, I told you," Myne says with a knowing smile. "Sharing a drink isn't so bad, is it?"
"You were right as always," I agree. "I should really trust you more. You have never steered me wrong so far."
"Of course," she preens. "Now, is it just me or do you want some more?"
"Yes," I admit. "This isn't as bad as I thought and you have a point. It isn't a bad idea to have some fun before our journey starts."
"The fun is just getting started!" she says with a cheer that gets chuckles from some of the other patrons.
--
We both had more than a little to drink and we were leaning against each other as we go up the stairs of the inn. Through a collective effort of drunken agility, we manage to reach our rooms even after weaving around so much.
"Thanks for the great time, Myne," I tell my companion. "That was the most fun I have had in a long time. Being a hero isn't so bad afterall."
"It was a pleasure, my hero," she says with a smile as her cheeks were reddened with a drunken blush. "We all need to unwind every now and then. You are pretty fun to be around as well."
"That means a lot," I tell her as I reluctantly pull my arm from around her shoulders. "We should get a good night's sleep so we are ready to go in the morning. The Waves aren't going to wait forever."
"Of course," she agrees as she goes to her door. I was in the process of unlocking my door when I hear her behind me. "My hero, I just have one more favor to ask."
"What is it?" I ask as I turn around only for her to press me against the door. She tilts her head up and catches my lips in her own as she kisses me out of nowhere. I am so in shock that I resort to my instincts which guide me to place my hands on her hips as I lean into the kiss as well.
Eventually, we break for oxygen as we stare at each other. I can't help but gaze into Myne's brilliant green eyes and see the hunger gazing back at me.
"We shouldn't," I tell her. "We are both drunk. I don't want to take advantage of you."
"What if I want you to?" she asks as the husky tone of her voice sent a shiver up my spine. "What if I want you to pin me down and show me how a hero treats his woman? What if I want you too?"
I can't help but pull her back into a kiss as her arms wind around my neck and she hops up on me. I grab her and support her weight with my hands curled around her thighs. Thank God I started working out after dropping out of school. These muscles are finally going to be good for something.
We stumble back into the door as I blindly fumble for the doorknob and find it by pure luck. I shove the door open and slam it shut behind us.
--
I look over at Myne's still form next to me and I can't help but feel like the luckiest man alive. That was nothing short of perfect.
I gaze at her back as she lay curled up on her side and wonder what I did to deserve such an incredible woman in my life. It makes me happy that I grabbed slipped out of the equipment shop earlier when she was trying on armor fits to pick up that gift. I have to show Myne how much she means to me before she realizes I am just a normal guy and nowhere close to her league. Despite my many flaws, she sees me as someone worth knowing. That means the world to me.
A smile spreads across my face as I think back to what we just did. I had no idea Myne was into such kinky stuff. Handcuffs and roleplay were kind of new to me, but she made it a fun addition to our activities. It was sweet that she trusted me so much to not go overboard while we were doing it.
I just shake off the thoughts before I rile up my hormones again. My body needed a cooldown and some sleep. I pursue this goal by spooning Myne and wrapping my arm around her stomach. I gently pull her against me and enjoy the way she snuggles into my warmth.
"I love you, my hero," she whispers as she strokes my arm with her hand.
"I love you too, Myne," I whisper back before I kiss her on the neck. I nuzzle into her hair and enjoy the feeling of me wrapped around her.
I have one last thought before I fade to sleep, 'This is where I am meant to be.'
--
I wake up with a start as I am dragged out of bed by my ankles. A grunt of pain leaves my lips as I slam to the hard wooden floor and my arms get forced behind my back. I try to summon my gun to defend myself, but someone stomps on my hand and causes me to drop it. The weapon returns to its ring form on my finger since I can't hold it with my hand so messed up. My wrists are bound with shackles before I get lifted up.
I am thrown back against the foot of the bed to see several guards looking down at me with hateful sneers. Their armor looked the same as the palace guards, so I couldn't understand why they were here. Did something happen? Wait, where was Myne? Is she okay?
"It is our job to bring you in, but I can't just let a piece of shit like you get out of my hands without making sure you suffer like you deserve," one guard says with a twisted grin. "I like to think of it as my civic duty."
"What are you-," I try to say before he backhands me across the face. His metal gauntlet made it feel like I was hit by a club as a literal tooth flies out of my mouth and clatters across the floor. I could barely think as the pain from my jaw burned through my nerves and my head was forced back.
I look to see the man is now holding a dagger which he places at the edge of my cheek with the point resting inside of my lips. I try to move away from it only for him to pin my head in place against the foot of the bed.
If I thought my jaw had been painful, this rewrote my definition of pain. As he drew the dagger across my face and carved through my cheek, I couldn't stop the tears from pouring as the agony was more than I could have imagined. This just makes the other men laugh as they hold me down and prevented me from struggling. The first man looks at his work for a second before placing the dagger's edge against my other cheek.
I try to beg with him, but my half formed pleas fall on deaf ears. His manic grin just gets wider in response. "That's it," he says. "The screaming is the best part. Don't give up so quickly."
I try to stifle the cries of pain, yet I come up short. It was overriding any other thought in my head and I couldn't help it in the face of such intense agony.
When he is over, he gives me a little pat on the cheek that renews my suffering. "There we go," he says. "Now, everyone will see you for who you are on the inside. You are a devil with an eternal smile. You can't hide what you are anymore. Think of it as a little way of remembering me."
I am hauled to my feet before they put the bare minimum clothes on my body before dragging me out of the room. Every time I slow down, a guard shoves me forward or I am yanked by the chain of my shackles. I could feel the warm blood dripping from my ruined cheeks as it trickled down and stained the plain whjte shirt they had tossed on me red.
With each person we pass, I see the same looks of disgust and fear. Through the haze of pain, I wonder what I did to recieve those looks of hate. I had only been here a couple of days. What sin had I committed to earn their scorn so quickly?
Finally, we reach the castle and the guards throw me to the ground in front of the throne. The room was filled with nobles whispering as they looked at me. I saw the other heroes besides Naofumi standing off to the side. It made sense he wouldn't be here since he said he would be getting an early start on his journey and leaving with his party member yesterday.
"You stand accused of a grave crime, Gun Hero!" the king roars as he stand up from his throne. "What do you say in your defense?"
"What... crime?" I manage to ask despite how badly my cheeks ached from moving my mouth that much.
"You dare to feign ignorance?" the king asks in outrage. "You do not even have the spine to acknowledge your own sins? What more could I expect from a hero with no lineage and no honor? You are accused of one of the greatest sins, rape!"
What? How could I? I was a virgin before last night. The only girl I have ever been with was...
That's when I see her. Myne was hiding behind Spear Guy which was why I didn't see her before. A rush of relief hits me when I realize she is alright only for it to fade when I realize something. Spear Guy is wearing the same armor I bought yesterday. It could just be coincidence, but it even has the same scratch from where a balloon scraped me. How could he have it? What is going on?
"Evidence," I choke out. "What evidence?"
"Trying to escape like the coward you are," the king says. "If it wasn't enough to have a confession from the victim, we even have a recording provided by a tool of your twisted depravity. Your own perversion was your downfall."
A mage brings out a pair of handcuffs that take me a moment to recognize. Wasn't that the pair Myne and I used last night? With a short spell, a symbol on the side of the metal illuminates before a magical projection appears above.
It was a recording from last night. Myne had wanted to do some roleplay about me being a bad guy taking advantage of an innocent adventurer. It had seemed fun and enjoyable in the moment, but I realize what it was now. It was a trap. As the recording plays, it is nothing short of damning. It starts part way through the roleplay and ends right before I broke character. It looks exactly like they say it does. If I didn't know any better, even I would be convinced.
My eyes travel to Myne and for a fleeting second, I saw a smile. I saw the same one on Jessica's face as she told me how useless I was. It turns out nothing had changed. I was still the same loser I always was, just in a new world.
Like a mirage, it was gone and she was playing the traumatized victim. She starts crying her eyes out and the Spear Guy comforts her while glaring daggers at me.
"I do not believe this requires any deliberation," the king says. "Even your fellow heroes would agree that you are guilty of this crime. A hero who would commit such a disgusting act on his own party member is nothing more than a monster. It would be a common punishment to carve the devil's smile into such criminals, but it seems you have already received that punishment. From now on, the world will see you as they monster you truly are. The Gun Hero will be a title of shame forevermore. Your only purpose from this day forward will be to serve in the defense of the Waves and fight for our world's survival."
"You aren't killing me?" I ask in confusion. It doesn't make any sense. Why would they do all of this if it was just to tell me that I wasn't going to be punished more?
"Despite my distaste, new heroes can only be summoned when the last of the previous generation passes away," the king says. "If we were to kill you, we would be putting our world in danger by having fewer heroes to protect us."
The sheer absurdity of this all finally hits me. This show trial, the betrayal, and the stupid punishment are more than I could bear. I couldn't hold it in anymore and I decide to finally let it out.
My shoulders shake before I really made any sound. Even then, it was just a little whisper. "Heh, heh."
"What did you say?" the king asks. It was more like an order, but it was even funnier that he thought he could order me around anymore.
Any restraint I had is now gone as I start laughing. It all makes sense now. I get the joke.
As I raise up my head and start howling with laughter, the nobles all back away at the sheer madness in my eyes and the insanity in my voice. I look at the other heroes before I cackle at their faces. The look of horror they all had was so hilarious it made me want to laugh all over again.
All of my life, I have been trying to find meaning in everything. It is what set me apart from everyone else. I didn't do anything without a reason. I studied because I wanted a good job in the future to make money to live however I wanted to. I watched tv becuase I enjoyed the stories that the writers wove. I read books to understand more about the world.
Other people just lived without meaning. They would say pleasantries that they never meant and went to parties they didn't want to go to and drank because they hated who they were and studied because their parents expected them to and million other things that didn't make sense. Why would they bother with all of that when it wasn't actually worth anything?
Now, I get it. The joke I never understood finally has meaning. It was so simple that I can't believe I never figured it out. I was a fool not to realize it.
Nothing matters.
I never understood it because I was always trying to find meaning even when there wasn't any. There is no grand scheme. There is no fate we are all going towards. We are just blindly bumping around in the dark until the day we die and we are gone forever.
It is so funny that I can't help but laugh. I am finally on the onside of the joke and it cracks me up. My cheeks don't even hurt anymore. The pain was just the price of admission and I am so happy I paid it. This truth was worth every ounce of suffering it took to find.
"What are you laughing about?!" the king roars in anger.
"You all," I manage to say. "I am laughing at all of you. Why on Earth would I want to protect you? I should just crack open a beer, pull up a chair, and watch as you all die screaming. It is going to be a riot!"
I laugh even harder at the look of shock on his face. This guy is hilarious!
"Even better, how about I just take a piece off of the board?" I ask as a massive grin spread across my torn face. "Who doesn't love an underdog story? The scrappy humans facing the big bad monsters with just four heroes even though they must have gotten five for a reason? Who knows what kind of horrors are on their way? I can't wait to see how you all die! Your screams will be a symphony and your terror will be the finest desert. One last party before it's all over!"
"We can make you help," the king growls. "We can force you to fight."
"How can you force a dead man?" I ask before I manifest my gun. It was too tight to shoot the chain, but I just shoot what the chain is attached to instead. Two shots tear through my left forearm arm before I rip what's left off. My left arm in now a stump as my left hand dangles from the shackles it is still bound to. Even my guards back away from the horrifying display of self mutilation. Oh, I am just getting started.
I raise the gun and the king flinches back as he raises his arms to protect himself. Through his hands, I can tell he sees me point the gun at my own head instead of his. His eyes widen in shock when he realizes what I am about to do. I don't give him the chance to warn anyone else.
A smile rests on my lips as I give my last message before the end.
"Bang."
--
The death of the Gun Hero spread across the country faster than anyone could have imagined. Most people didn't even realize that the heroes were summoned before they learned that a new hero had arrived as well and that he had already killed himself.
As the patrons of the tavern all talk about the news sweeping the land, there was one man leaning on the bar and chuckling to himself. The bartender notices that it is a traveler he hasn't met before and decides to strike up a conversation.
"Whatcha laughin' about, stranger?" he asks the hooded man.
"Oh, nothing," the man says before he lets out another laugh. "I was just remembering a funny joke. Best one I ever heard."
"What was it?" the bartender asks in curiosity.
"Oh well, if I told you, I'd have to kill you," the man replies before bursting out in another bout of laughter.
Something about the man's laugh sent a shiver through his body. It was like his instincts were warning him about a threat his mind couldn't perceive. He just shook it off and dismissed the feeling. There was no way that this man could really be such a threat.
"How about your name then?" he asks instead. "Everyone has a name."
"I used to go by Jack," the man replies. "But after a big turning point in my life, I think I need to rebrand. I need something to spice up my image. Jack isn't nearly funny enough. I need a name that will help me bring smiles and laughter to this entire world."
The bartender's heart started to beat faster as he felt a bead of cold sweat trickle down his temple. He was a fool to discount his instincts. There was something wrong with the man across from him. The only reason he hadn't run away is that the twisted feeling wasn't directed at him. It was just like heat coming from a fire. It warned him he was going to get burned if he got any closer.
The man in the hood says one last thing as he leaves. "I don't really feel like a Jack anymore," the man tells the bartender before pulling back his hood for a moment. The scarred face, deranged eyes, and twisted smile would be burned into his memory forever. "I feel more like a Joker."
--
Author's note:
Bam! Another Halloween story out for the holiday! Damn, I am good!
I wanted to take a darker route than my usual stories. This Joker won't be quite as messed up as standard DC Joker who bombs school buses and shit. Instead, I will be focusing more on a dual nature Joker who can be cracking a joke one second before becoming a living nightmare the next. Virtually all of the bad stuff he will do will be confined to bad folks who deserve it.
Feel free to write me a review and let me know how I did. I am practically fueled by reviews, so don't be shy. I always make sure to take all reviews to heart and respond to any questions at the beginning of each chapter.
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Happy Halloween,
Titan900