The Joker's Daughter

Chapter 6 ~ Home

"So, other than smoking behind the school, what kind of trouble do you associate yourself with?"

"Whoever said I was a bad boy?" He questioned. I raised my hand teasingly as if I were a student answering the question of a teacher.

"I did." I paused, waiting for him to say something. He said nothing. "You said you'd share your story with me."

"I said we'd trade stories. But you already seem to know everything about me."

"Not everything... that's the purpose of my questions."

"Before Northern Gotham Academy, I was in a school for troubled kids. I suppose I was a bit of a bad boy, but I wasn't an idiot. So I came to the academy a year or two ago, made a few friends--like Clay, and I haven't gotten myself into too much trouble since."

"But Clay said you became... 'uncool' after the summer. Why is that? And what of that comment you made of being with the police just a few days ago?"

"I never said I was in trouble with the police," Jason said with a smile. "And I suppose something did change over the summer. Everything became a bit more clear to me. It wasn't all a game." The way he spoke reminded me of the Joker. Everything was a game to him, there was nothing to be taken seriously.

There was a message behind his words. There was some secret he was not telling me. I wanted to know what he meant. "What wasn't all a game?"

"Life." He shrugged. "I got a little more serious. I suppose you can relate, I've only know you a few hours and you're already the most mature high schooler I've yet to meet."

"If my father heard you saying that he'd disown me," I muttered under my breath. Though, I wasn't much of a daughter and he wasn't much of a father. "Just wait until you see me at night. That's when the real fun starts," I said with a little more volume.

"You're a partier are you?"

"Something like that. I've been know to crash a few... parties."

We were getting closer to the Gotham ghetto now, I would have to ditch the schoolboy soon. Oddly enough... his existence didn't one hundred percent annoy me. He was one of the first human beings who I could honestly say that about. Not including the Joker, though I didn't particularly consider him to be a human being. More of a psycho clown. I knew he was crazy, I knew Harley was crazy, and it was my crazy yet viable choice to go along with them. I saw the bad in people, I knew there was bad in everyone. I had learned that and I wanted to help prove it. To destroy the hope of the Batman and cause this city to go absolutely mad would be just so... perfect.

The people passing us on the sidewalk changed from rich schoolkids and middle class adults to lower class ghetto citizens, crazed and drugged hobos as we sided from the northern to the southern section of Gotham. Ahhh, home. If I were dressed in my normal attire however, I would not have been treated so rudely. Instead of shoving past me, they would have cowered away from me. Imbeciles.

As a homeless man with long, ratty hair, and an over-sized trenchcoat made his way through Jason and I, rather than walking around us. He just about knocked me over as he went through us. I caught his arm before he got too far away.

"Watch where you're going," I warned with a raised eyebrow. He didn't like my threatening tone and before I realized what he was doing he grabbed ahold of either side of my body and gave a great shove, pushing me right into the middle of the street as an old volkswagen came hurdling my way.

The vehicle wasn't coming to a stop, the driver just began honking his horn as he neared me--me being not twenty feet away when I was shoved into the road. I acted quickly, my hands shoving me off the ground so I could hurl myself out of the way just in time for the noisy car to pass me without doing any damage. Jason was staring at me with wide eyes, he looked as if I hadn't saved myself he would have. Cute. The homeless man who dared shove me was already down the block, running away as fast as his aged legs would carry him.

"That was impressive," Jason said as he picked up the notebook, math book, and pencil I'd dropped. "Where on earth did you learn to do that?"

"When you live in the ghetto... you pick up a few tricks." I mentally traded the word ghetto for circus.

"You know it wouldn't have even happened if you'd just let the man pass you."

"I'm no ones welcome mat, Jason. I will allow no one to walk all over me." I had taught myself that lesson at the age of seven, when my father used to use me as bait in dangerous situations. I think he'd planned for me to die at a young age, seeing me as an inconvenience rather than a use to him. But as I learned and as I'd aged, I'd proved myself almost worthy to be kept alive. Though I never understood why he wanted to dispose of me rather than Harley. She was of practically no use to him. I had to fight and learn to keep my father from killing me, that lesson had ultimately taught me not to let anyone treat me as a bug. A bug that could be ignored, easily squashed, and was seen as a lesser life form.

"This is where you live?" He looked around the trashy brick apartments with spray-painted gang messages sprawled all over the walls, and the welcoming aroma of marijuana and crack in the air.

"This is where I bid you adieu." I shrugged. We were getting close to the harbor--I could practically taste the rotting fish being caught and sold by the piers--which meant we were getting closer to the warehouse and I could not lead him there.

"Which apartment is yours?"

"Yes, let's pretend I live in one of these apartments." I looked around the neighborhood, it was odd seeing it from below the rooftops. I had come accustomed to jumping across the buildings to make my way to the other parts of Gotham to cause some damage, but rarely had I taken the time to walk through the streets. Not since I'd learned how to jump across rooftops from Harley, anyways.

"I didn't learn anything about you."

"Yes you did, you learned I'm not a bug."

"That part I already kind of picked up on after I tried to walk past you in Anatomy." He rolled his eyes and smiled. "I'd still like to know more about you. You're a bit intriguing."

"And by that you mean suspiscious." I noted. He didn't deny it. "Good luck finding your way out of here without getting mugged dressed like that," I looked him up and down, noticing we were both still in our school uniforms. "I can tell you a quick way out if you want,"

"Nah, I've been on these streets before. I can take care of myself."

"What? Rich boy has been on the ghetto streets? That's adorable." I looked around, the sun was getting closer to the harbor which meant it was almost my time to shine. "Don't follow me, Jason." I said as a final goodbye, getting ready to head to the warehouse. Of course I'd know if he was following me, and I could have led him down a dead end, but still all that effort...

"Whatever, I'll stalk you some other time."

"I'm sure it's nothing you're unfamiliar to."

"See you tomorrow, Anya." He smirked and turned around, making his way back towards the north side of Gotham--where the rich little bad boy belonged. I made sure that was really where he was headed before I returned to the warehouse.

"HARLEY!" Joker shouted from the warehouse, I'd heard it as I entered. Oh great, daddy dearest was in a good mood.