The Joker's Court

[Damian Wayne]

((January 24th. Open within reason? c:))

Night had hit, and had cloaked Gotham for nearly an hour now. Accompanying it, was Damian Wayne as it often did. There was at least one member of the crew lurking the city, keeping an eye on things, but Damian had something to deal with that had been bothering him for a while.

First, there had been a bank robbery. Robin had been their to stop it and hand over the criminals, but at the scene there had been marbles spread across the pavement. These weren't even any of Joker's goonies.

The next, someone was getting mugged in a side street down an alley, the thugs had been taken care of with close to no effort. And off in a couple garbage bags to the side? Bags overflowing with grungy fake snapping teeth.

And the last? A deck of cards spread across a crime scene. A run down deck, covered with dirt and walked over, so no one else would have made the connection, just brushing it off as more litter to Gotham's streets. But it was a dead give away to Damian.

Perhaps Damian should have told someone. Brown had offered help, heck, heck, even Blake would have. Drake was out of the question, but they were all incompetent as far as the young Robin was concerned.

He'd entered the theme park by cutting through a chain fence. So now he was carefully walking through the colorful tents, dimmed by the night. Damian was being cautious, but made no attempt to hide that he wasn't afraid.

"You've been trying to get my attention for a while now." Damian called out to the supposedly deserted circus yards. The actual performers had been long gone since before Arkham's Breakout.

"Even you would find it rude to be absent for a gathering you called yourself..." he lowered his voice to a more acceptable level, "Joker."

Damian turned around.

[The Joker]

Most of the tents were speckled with the first signs of mold. Many had long tares, scars of abandonment as the circus was left to rot. The smell of rust was everywhere, the amusement park roller-coaster having toppled a long time ago.

There were run down carny games, streaked with spray paint. There were a few bits of shattered glass, some colored here and there from light-bulbs... but not nearly as many as their should have been. Paint peeled, grime marked once shiny booths and displays. Apart from the young Robin's voice, the park was silent as a crypt.

But everywhere there were clown faces. And as Damian made his slow way forward, there was a loud pop and fitz! and at once all the clowns lit up. Into there eyes had been screwed black painted lights, their mouths illuminating a path forward in murder red glow.

The speakers crackled and hissed, and then there was the voice, high pitched and delighted. "Testing! One two three - Robin, could you do me a favor and tell me? Do you feel me near you? I feel closer already - these camera's do miracles for enlightening a person's perspective. Here, let me show you!"

A shriek from the speakers, and cackling. Then all across the park in the booths screens flickered to life. Screams began echoing through the park, mixed with reporter's level voices covering what could only be the story of the death of the batman. And at the center of the park flood lights burst into flare to show the main tent, just as tattered as the rest but painted all over with black eyes and red smiles. And in front of a massive hole a flashing sign with an arrow flashing "Enter here!"

"Here little birdy! Tweet tweet!"

The screams began growing louder.

[Damian Wayne]

Damian hardly looked impressed or phased in the slightest. He raised a brow looking upwards at the stories because reeling off loudly, and continued on. He stopped before entering the tent though, scowling at the hilarious stabs at bird jokes. Like he hadn't heard those before.

"If you persist to patronize me I'm going to have to make this very difficult, Joker." he threatened flatly, "Well, more difficult anyways." he added.

And then he pushed through the flap of the main tent, entering.

[The Joker]

"Tut tut tut," Came the Joker's own voice from within the dark of the tent, the walls showing misshapen silhouettes against the lights from outside trying to come through. Then the ring lit up with an array of multicolored lights - light, and then a burst of flame.

What could have been a lion tamer's ring - perfectly round, with stands on the outside looking into the sandy pit center, glowed in the firelight as the overpowered light bulbs lit the ring of gasoline. The fire cast everything in a hellish glow, revealing the shapes ringing the tent. Twenty, maybe thirty people strapped to massive rings, spread out and dressed in capes and cowls, outfits identical to the final bat suit, though few filled it properly. Some were bulging out, some shrunken by it's imposing size. Most weren't moving, but a few still squirmed.

Then on the far end of the ring, sitting in the darkest corner behind the flaming rail, the face of the clown could be seen. The makeup was fresh - gory red lips, shaggy green hair, black eyes like the sunken sockets of a skull. He was sitting on what looked to be a throne - but it was oddly scared and carved as if it had been re-purposed. Upon closer inspection, one could see it was the Batman memorial statue, the middle carved in to make his chair.

"Now if you don't play nice with the other kiddies," Joker said in his nasally condescending tone, lifting his hand to reveal a trigger. "They'res going to be a very... heated debate."

The rings were always purposed to catch on fire, made to be jumped through. Each of them hooked up to a hose running the gas to Joker's trigger. All it needed was a spark. "You know, Robin, you look a little lonely. And I figured, hey, somebodies gotta look after the kid now Bats is gone! So, I got you a pet!"

He leaned forward, booting a lever beside his throne. From underneath the sand their was a rumble, and then the latch under the sand stage fell to form a ramp on the side of the ring closest to Joker. From bellow, there came a yowl, and then a lopsided lurch as what might have once been a lion made it's way out. The creature had lost most of it's mane, the rest dyed green. It's front right leg was massive and awkward, the claws forced out permanently. It's face was twisted and disfigured, the body mottled with bald white spots and potentially rotting sections. The beast lowered it's head, snarling at the boy.

[Damian Wayne]

For a moment, Damian stared at the mass of bodies hanging in the tent over the flame. The Joker was crazy. They all already knew that, and he always did something to further prove his insanity. On one hand it was daunting that there was no Arkham Asylum to send him back to. But on the other hand, what was to stop him from ending it all if he really wanted to?

His attentions were diverted, when Joker made an announcement of a pet, and his eyes narrowed on the lion. Still, larger than he was, Damian wasn't the least bit fazed and showed no fear or wavering. If anything, he looked angry, but when did he not? Damian was probably the angriest Robin there had been.

"You're ridiculously sentimental for a psychopath." Damian noted, and quickly unsheathed his katana. Blake had taken it away upon his arrival, but there wasn't a thing in the house that they could keep from Damian if he really wanted it, and he figured this was a good enough reason to bring it out.

"Batman is long gone and you're still committed to cause a disturbance to Gotham in his name... So let me make this easier on you," he angled a careful step around the lion, waiting for it to move first, "Dead is dead, Joker." he finished.

Damian's last words had sounded flat, but managed a sharp viciousness.

[The Joker]

"Aw, kid, you know me." Joker sighed contentedly, shifting to make himself comfortable, draping himself over the arms of his throne. "I always cared too much - like Bats! When I met 'em, he was already starting to. So, I was a good friend and helped him out. Cleaned off his slate. No more damsels."

Joker flung his hand over his eyes dramatically. "But then he threw me away - like the rest of those trash! And I sat is Arkham, waiting for him to come visit, and then I find out he's gone and done it again - picked himself up a little broken winged birdy."

He shook his head, sitting up again to glower at Damian. "You all went and made him weak again. You fed off him - like leeches! - until there was nothing left, and then some two-bit wackjob with a mask goes and blows 'em to kingdom come! See that, is your fault, isn't it kid? You were his Robin! You should have been there, to help him find another way!"

Shrugging, Joker grabbed the lepells of his classic purple jacket, straightening it and looking about. He leaned forward, putting a hand to the side of his mouth in a fake whisper. "Heck, you know kid. People all are eventually going to figure it out... it's your fault Bats is dead."

[Damian Wayne]

Damian had to listen to the Joker finish his speech, as the mutant lion was now circling him. Damian began taken careful steps sideways, countering the circular motion. He was sure this was a real show for the Joker, and annoyed by this fact, his nose stuck in a defiant wrinkle. The deranged feline lunged, and Damian rolled out of the way, straightening up from his tucked position and turning sharply, his cape ripping around behind him.

"He always did know the right place for his trash..." Damian remarked, taking his eyes from the lion for just a moment to glance and see the Joker's reaction.

Turning his gaze back, the creature had regained itself, and was getting ready to lunge again, and he was getting tired of this silly game. The lion dove towards him, claws extended and Damian reacted almost instantly. Leaping from his spot, he propelled over the lion, giving a long two handed stroke across the feline's back before he landed behind it.

Then, once his feet touch the ground and the feline yowled in response to the first attack, Damian plunged the sword downward into the feline's back. With one final roar, the mutation shuddered, and collapsed, allowing Damian to slide his gore covered weapon from the pelt. Then, he turned to the Joker, raising a brow.

"You truly have no idea how to reach me, do you Joker?" the Robin then asked, looking unimpressed. These attempts had been rather feeble in making a dent in the ten year old; he'd come in with a hell of a poker face and an all business strategy in mind. There was no time to contemplate the concept that Damian was responsible for his father's death.

He couldn't have been... Damian never was Batman's Robin, not that he'd inform the Joker of this. This Robin was currently... well.. the only Robin without a Batman. And that struck him more than the Joker's words had. But still, there was no time to dwell on this fact. Damian now was making a steady advance towards where the Joker sat on his 'throne' comfortable.

[The Joker]

Joker's face pulled into an exaggerated red frown as the Boy Wonder murdered his lion. "Aw, now I'm gonna get all kinds of complaints from the public!" He groaned, hooking a finger towards the people on their rings. "These folks are going to go blabbing. Want me to do it for you, Kiddo? Stop them from going and telling on you?"

He watched the boy coming closer, and waved the trigger back and forth, finger rubbing the big glowing purple button on the trigger. "You know, you're different than the other ones. You haven't even told me to," his voice shot up to a high pitch wail, "'Drop the trigger Joker! Nobody needs to get hurt!'"

"You know, I like you." Joker waved a finger of his free hand at Damian. "A Robin like you entertains one idea... when do I become Batman. See, my money was on Nightwing in this whole show - but you, you've got spunk. Flare. I don't think you'd really care if I just pushed this button. That way, there'd be nothing to stop you from killing me."

Joker stood, cracking his neck. He reached into his pocket as he spoke, drawing out a small but thick circular device, neon purple with green fangs painted on between little tubes. "You... your more like Bats than the rest of em. More like... me. Heck, you might just be the one who lives to be the champion of my games."

Lifting the trigger, positioning himself at the side of the throne, ready to duck behind it out of lunging trajectory of the now very close sidekick. Joker lifted the circle to his mouth, sliding a big green strap over his face to reveal it in full light - a mocked up version of Bane's breathing mask. "You know, the guy who killed Bats - the one your so unable to catch? He's got himself all riled up over Crane's gas - no not that kind of gas, head out of the potty mister. Well, he took away the Doc, but I still figured I'd give it a go... and he's right! It's an absolute laugh!"

Clicking down on the trigger, Joker started to laugh uncontrollably as from the rings instead of natural gas green came seeping out, the restraints on the people unlocked, dropping them as they fell coughing and gasping and screaming as green haze filled the tent at a rapid rate. And then, slowly from all parts of the tent... the other crazed laughter began, and the people began rising.

[Damian Wayne]

Becoming Batman? Damian couldn't honestly say he had thought about it. With everything else that was going on, who had the time to decide which mask they were going to 'upgrade' to, what cowl to take up next. Damian assumed there wouldn't be another Batman after what had happened. No one in their 'happy' little family seemed like they were going to step up and take on the head Bat persona, Damian least of all. He hadn't even known his own father.

And at that, Damian couldn't really understand why his father would have left the Joker alive.

"Now that you mention it, I really don't know why he wouldn't have just killed you." Damian admitted with narrowed eyes. "You don't look like much and actually, I had expected you to be taller."

Time for banter was running out, and grinding down on Damian's nerves. The rings were now emitting smoke, that would begin to fill the tent, and there were now people closing in on him, laughing psychotically. To an extent, Damian was starting to understand the no killing rule in a light of his own. If these people died by his blade, the Joker would have his satisfaction. But where Damian could see that he had to make an effort to save these peoples lives, whether they were attacking him or not, he could think of no reason that he shouldn't kill the Joker after all of this.

"You." he growled, as his slipped his long blade into its' sheath "You just redefined crazy."

He turned around a few times, sizing up the insane people approaching him. Alright... Don't kill them. One of the larger people leaped at him, arms wildly trying to wrap around him. Damian dived under his arm, rolling as he landed and pushed off the ground to propel towards a second enemy. He clutched their collar with one hand, and punched with the free one. His feet were rested on their chest, throwing his weight and sudden movement into them so when they fell, Damian could leap off freely.

Then, he crouched swiping a leg beneath the first who'd tried to restrain him, bringing them to the ground also. The laughed, and Damian grumbled to himself in annoyance, "It's not that funny..." before fully noting that the gas had no where to go and would soon close in on him like the people.

With no desire to be overwhelmed, Damian pulled two sharp looking knife like utilities from his belt that snapped into a bat shape quickly. Without hesitation, he threw the first, and then the second both at separate ropes fastened in different directions. Both hit their marks, slicing the taut lines and dropping a section of the tent, opening it to the outside.

With the outdoors now available, it didn't look like Damian had any intentions of fleeing. Meaning he was giving the gas another escape route, instead of filtering towards him so quickly. He could focus on disabling the next round of laughing lunatics, the base of his palm striking a man's lower spine harshly. He fell to a laughing heap to the ground.