Teen Titans – Renegade's Last Resort; Finding Pandora = Hope
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Chapter 24: Clowning Around
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Skipping over garbage can lids with a grin, it was a skate in the park. Gotham would experience one last frost before spring.
Minding that thought, wasn't a certain bird going be a big boy soon?
The shadows cloaked his concerns of it as the smiling, giggling exiled prince skidded to find concrete.
"And the crowd goes, WILD!" The barefoot, dreds wearing and musty looking white painted adult took a bow, completely admiring his jump from a towering pile of garbage pains, sans lids as those rolled like wheels into his enemies.
"Boss, yah ain't well! Coming, they can –
"I've got no lone care in the world! Go find that painting class you always wanted, Clyde….and leave me the heck alone!!"
Slade had tugged the crown up and now, these stupid stooges thought Arkham was a clinic?? What was the world coming to??
"Boss, if ya don't get professional help real soon, the Batman is –
"Pretty rich boy and co?? Really, Clyde? What do you think, Brutus??" The red eyed fatigue of a hike to his adrenaline; now dipping, it seemed plausible that the clown exiled prince had not slept since their break up.
"He took Ivy, and she took Harley from me. He's no friend, I can tell but you think he'd help things like us?? We ruled over his waking corpses, the ones he never got to save, and you vouch fir the midnight meathead??"
Joker let out a shout as like an ape in some vine laden canopy, he took each lid and each towering structure of cans he could and made them all fall. "I was crushed too, goons!" He sneered with a lid in his hand.
"By a big bad –
"Joker."
The fated cooled one behind him had the own lash out with his makeshift shield, the cape getting a yank as they both went toppling.
Off of the castle mountain of the garbage - can Prince, Joker.
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Dazed and lying on his back, Joker was hoisted up to stand, cuffs beneath him as he tried not to know that they were a shocking surprise by a very desperate "man baby" Batman.
"YOU…How'd you know where to look? Oh, I know…" He turned to see that his goon brothers had booked it, his eyes dropping as Bruce stole the lonely clown's attention back.
"No one told me."
"You're lying, batsy….~" Tutted the clown despite having his wrists cuffed. His lip puffed out in a pout. "Every one villain in Gotham knows that you're no push over. So , tell me who it was, Batsy? Was it Babe, that oversized-
"I'm not at liberty to say a thing, not until you comply with a summons."
"Am I not off the hook for being as loopy as you are?? We were the dynamic duo, and you DUMPED me for that felonious feline ass licker!!"
"She's not on our side, not right now. But I know, that the disturbing events regarding a new crime order had you plummet, Joker. Spiraling this far down is serious."
"You care now? Huh?" Shot the angry, circus performance outcast. "Where were you when your "Isley" took away my Harleen! She had everything I could…"
"I didn't take her, she was through with your antics. Now. You could come with me to iron out something more important than your broken love sickness, or…you can stay with the trash. I don't want that for you, Joker."
Bruce knelt there as Joker started to weep and tried to latch onto the man like some overgrown tick. "Batsy!"
"Not here, Joker." Bruce shoved him off, giving a look that even Joker wasn't conscious of. "Who'd two – toned papa get to?"
"Someone, as important as her, as all of them." Bruce sighed with a shoulder sag. "You can help me to stop him, maybe it would be the perfect time. To start over, what do you say. Ally, for now?" Bruce put out a hand, something his mind had the Joker stutter to realize as a truce. No, a real gesture of a desperate adult.
"If I get to have the coppers capping the real crook in this city, why not? Put em' there, pardner!"
Shaking hands with the imp of these streets made the bat shudder from within. To save his son, he had to just like them. Crafty, cruel and downright lawless.
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Harley didn't stomp, but she might have as the safe house they'd been assigned to was one hundred percent secure and …it was gonna need to be for who was arriving to it.
~ He got him, Harls. ~
Ivy was on her screen time since she wasn' crazy, talking to her now reinstated doctor "gf."
"The reception in this dumping crazy nice. How come Bruce don't stay here to get away from all the drama all the time? Or, does he…?"
The sound of sliding doors had the Ph.D. princess run to the intercom screen to see that secure as it was, Bats was bringing in the big fat dependent of the evening.
She waited and got into character as her clipboard matched her frame, seated in a chair while the face of lone and droning haunted her no more.
"You have GOT to be kidding! Is this a joke, bat – fir – brains?? Why did you take me to the nut house again??"
He was throwing a hit at Harley as she evaded with cool grace and wit. "I'm not who I was before and right now, any petty fights can wait in the next hallway. Okay, boys?"
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Bruce had a lie detector set up to take the clown on a ride he'd soon never live to tell.
"This procedure is to see how much you know about one, Deathstroke. A.K.A, Slade Wilson before Joker was pushed underground by em." She started to wrote something as he let the bat keep him cuffed and stayed quiet.
"Is this really all you wanted outta life, Harleen? I knew the real –
"This ain't about my needs right now. Talk later." She put up a finger as the meter whirring to life on a side table next to the psych major. "When the news came out about a new baddie claiming the territory of a lot of Gotham's ne'er do wells, how did you feel about it?"
"To be honest, I sided with those against em. He cane in with money, weapons and an apprentice. Not a bad call –
"Joker, focus." As much as Bruce wanted to jump in, it was too soon.
"Right. All for that handshake ..that you'd a better sworn by, bat – liar." Joker snorted under his breath.
"The events that led to him making an empire, what happened after that?"
"Some city we have on regulations; he moved right past it! Like he had someone else doing his dirty work behind the scenes. Though a man that strong without showing his face is a danger, as well all live and breathe in knowing…" Joker side eyed the bat, narrowing his eyes and comparing the sociopath from the dark knight's own ventures. "Always thought that once you step three feet in this city, going loco is inevitable. Might be a gas leak, those birds that run the show –
"Focus." Harleen coaxed the man to slow down. "So far, ya ain't lied to us once. We are getting closer to our goal."
"Then, will you out me go?"
She stilled, changing the topic as Joker sat and didn't find any of this to be a real hoot. ( Bird pun for the court of owls. To be explored, but there is more to this than you think.)
"When this us over, we can talk about…options fer ya." Harleen nodded. "Back to where ye told me; the little things became clearer that something was wrong with the new resident."
"Even penguin ran like a mouse and not a rat. Firefly actually said ( she) she'd help out and I think her boy friend was cut down if he didn't comply by those murderous metal heads of Willy's."
Bruce blinked and the truth meter was on an all time upward high.
Yes, that…it made sense.
Too much sense, as Joker went on with his recollections.
"Ice man cometh went home to the old country, last I heard he was shipped off and never not a word of him. Rag doll is locking his wounds. Man sent a kid to do some damage to wavering bone he had still talking. Felt sorry for em, really."
The meter…Dick had…attacked Rag doll?? Was that not in the police reports?
"I'm shocked you put me in this chair, when the bat should get more credit to try it out instead. If you wanna know more, I want to trade a few secrets between frenemies. Or else?" He held up what bit of a finger he could. "No more free rides, comprende, mi amore?"
"You…"
She was startled as Bruce took the helmet, sensors and started to do as Joker said. He'd say no more if his other secrets. Just feelings of the events for now. "Return to the session, Miss. Quinzel."
"But –
"He wanted it, he can take it. I can't leave this dump anyway. Too many security measures…fir a vigilante." Snickered the clown.
She did what she had to, starting up from where Joker had left off. "The boy, you know him. Don't you?"
"I do, if it is him. The boy that Slade blackmailed to work for him."
"OH!" Joker squealed as Bruce tried to remain devoid of his face showing a thing. "This is gonna be soo sweet!"
/
Duarte was sure the construction would come to a halt. Worh Bruce working off of his scope, the cameras had halted their investigation of the man in certain places. He decided to find a cat and drag her tail back to see into that clouded eye.
Selina was not happy to see his face as on a rooftop feet away, sge had no interest in being man handled by a marauder like Deathstroke. Too much BDSM play involved in his future work, she could tell. "How's your mini you?" She teased it, the reasons crystal as her cat eyed gaze.
"Well, and it continues. Yet your ex is being extremely misbehaved; coming into my plans in broad daylight. Cate to tell me where he's gone to, away from my waking eye?"
Waking, as she shrugged up her hands with a smile. "He cut all ties, said I wasn't a pet he'd take to be anymore. Poor puppy dog. We had no chemistry, besides the cowls on both our faces."
"No games, Selina. If this is to go as planned and you want it to….I know you don't want anything else but your will back?"
"Blackmail someone else for a change, Will." She sniffed. "I'm only doing this so I don't get involved with either of you."
"What about. One wish." He pulled out the orb as its glow had her look away. "It…you can't have me. No one else can take my heart."
"Not a heart, a memory. Of the man you once thought you could trust…" Slade said softly. "Selina, do what I ask, and he won't want anything to do with even my sweet little bird. Only you."
"I…"
"You're jealous. Aren't you, hum?" Slade's eye narrowed with a sort of desire to push her over that ledge. "He freed Harley and Ivy, he even loves Vicky less than he does you. So, who does he like now? Who will he ever want if it isn't you? Your chemistry will not suffer, my dear. He won't want you to leave him wanting either, and so…he might give me what I want"
Sge snipped at him, barely taken by his plans.
" No-
The man smirked." More, looking on taking back my apprentice into his waiting arms."
Her eyes stayed on the man, the kid…he…was she really that petty??
"You want me, to make the goddamned Batman, MY devoted pet? To let you…"
Her claws extended. "You…have got about –
"Wait, I never finished the rest." Slade interrupted. "He'd be safe from me. All I want is my apprentice, as far away from him. Keep him out of my affairs and we'll never bother you. For as long as the offer is set to stand."
"Wishing stones cause nothing but trouble, if I did believe in them that is." She hissed. "I wanted some goddamn peace and quiet, Wilson. I even fixed Wayne to me the other…you are this close." She stepped with her feet moving in faster, just like Addie.
"This close, to be kicked off your horse and into a ditch. I'm not for sale –
"You already made clear that you can be bought –
She clawed out at his mask as he put away the orb. Her hands were grabbed as he kicked into her stomach woth his boot, watching her fly back on all fours. She clutched her side rib as it was only tender. "Treating that chew toy Wayne like a child himself will only get you killed. If you want him out of your mind, I can do that –
"I DON'T WANT A WISH!!" She whipped out her tails and watched the metal monkey dance. He was really not affected by her attacks as Slade side stepped every one, until she launched herself onto his back, scrambling to pull off the mask. He let her fly, this time, his patience to thin as in mid air, a flying kick sent her to the ledge. She was dead off her feet. No cat…could withstand being that abused…
"I hope that Richard does not say those exact words. In his case, his fate is different from tours. If I catch you going from your dark side, Selina, Wayne will follow the Titans. As might you, if you try to again play the washed up heroine." He left her in a heap as sge righted her items, her eyes running on mascara as her fists his the rooftop concrete with a yowl. Over and over.
He….
He knew too much. She'd never had to tell him about her, he'd only figured her out from their first chance encounter.
How could this be? Bruce? …did he mean…
She took her grappler and headed home, afraid to do what many on Gotham had already done to pass of this dictator of an assassin.
She wanted to reach back out, but…
"Lady?"
Within a few seconds if finding solid ground, a light haired little boy had found himself in Gotham, searching for a light that emanated through her last few seconds of memory. He wore an oversized hooded sweatshirt and a pair of cargo shorts. His sneakers were big for such a tiny kid. He almost looked like a caricature as she eyed the brat and felt a sense of unease creep into her heart.
"Can you tell me where to find, a wish?" The kid smiled as Selina gasped.
That….
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Harleen watched as Joker was cuffed and spoken to differently to a man that, well. He couldn't particularly stand to see so glum. "I'm more miserable than you. What gives, B – man?"
"A family member was taken, I told you everything. This week an investigation will only be permitted of we take Duarte or Slade to court. I want you to testify. And, the Batman will be there separately from Mr. Wayne."
"Shock attack, wanna explain that again?" Joker gawked at the explanation he'd had trouble understanding. "You…not him…you have a cloning machine??! I knew it!" Joker bounced up and down, resembling a true jester of the courts. "And you and I know it's true, B – Man. Why you gotta fo this."
Harley did a cut off sign with her hand as Bruce shook his, the cowl coming down as Harley through a hand to her forehead. "Augh! You knew all along, ya doofenheimer!? Why didn't-
"Why would I let our tiresome trusts remain sacred, you ask? Easy! It's fun to know what others only wish they could –
"Slade knows." Bruce returned the cowl to his face as Joker pouted back. "Course, big bad mercenary has status updates on all his shit listed figures globally. I met him once at a legion of doom conference. Real hard ass."
"I won't comment, for now we move ahead. The Attorney I have chosen will bring Duarte out of his home and we'll have our answer. A child was used and his welfare and the city's safety is top priority."
"Daddy bats, didn't you push that bird brat away?"
Bruce just opened the door as he and Joker made it out. To find Gordon waiting with his men, though not as many. "I'll drive with you. He's working with us, Jim."
"Good enough." Answered the cop as Bruce opened him mouth to Joker only. "This case is also to reduce any sentence, even yours. If you do this and tell the whole truth, you'll be born again. I want to promise that."
Joker could only grumble as he listened for once. His mind was definitely set, and it wasn't on Bruve being honest or Harleen being easy on their break up.
It was on Wilson for turning his life around in the first place.
Oh, that spanky – pank killer club he had was gonna pay…maybe the kid too, if he decided to go all rogue and hurt daddy bat's feelings all over again. The clown laughed on the inside as his head was shoved inside the armored doors of his first ticket to the one place, he'd been glad to curb his itch in.
Gotham's famous home of them never do wells. Arkham.
"You promised it to me, Bats. And if no body gets what they want in the end, I'll still come out on top. I know your secret…to the grave, big boy…"
He laughed through the armored walls as Bruce knew that a mind wipe would require a judge to overshadow the events with such power.
Making a quick call while giving no real details about why to Harley, as well as waving off Jim G, Batman went to get one league member under his speed dial list.
"J'hon, yes." The man went to the bat's mobile and sped back towards home. Daylight was coming and he'd been on no such breaks. Opening the door while hanging up, getting his okay from the other JLA member, Alfred was there with another line. From Central City. "A scientist within the facility…the same who's had his eye on our "feat," sir. Silas Stone, wishes to speak."
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Wally woke up.wkth a grinding migraine as his feet were off the ground, his ass to the pavement. Holding his head, he knew this wasn't Kansas. So, ….then….
He gawked at the brooding searchlight of a bat and yelled at the air. Pointing, Wally fit right in as he flew to his feet and checked his pockets. Was….
"Where is –
"Aha!" He dug fir his cell and found Barry's number. The last thing was, he wasn't alone. Who had brought him here, to Gotham City.
He clicked the numbers as it began to ring.
Too many stepped tread in the wrong area, but his powers here were not ok to do what he wanted. This city of smog and corruption gave him no desire to go nuts.
As he passed by a window if some high rise, he didn't see a person hopping out.
A person, a cat.
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( So, this is gonna suck, but Selina is….ah…you'll see.)
The fight comes to Gotham, the rest is a mess. Find out!