Just a little push (a batman fanfiction)

Chapter 13: Blind Rage

The photos showed my mom with some man and me as a child. Some showed him in the midst of blowing up some showed me clear up until my life at the junkyard.
He threw the photos scattering them all over the top of me.
I could feel my body trembling the zinging cold shock and rage flowing through me.
"Did you take these?" They were the only words I seemed able to choke out my shaky voice and trembling body giving away the intense wave of emotion flowing through me.
My mind was reeling his laughter didn't just echo around me it seemed to be in my head too.
"I'm far too busy for that. I paid off a few people to keep an eye out for people of interest and then keep their eyes on them." He grabbed shoulder and moved close to whisper in my ear, "It seems I have found something you care about."
I gritted my teeth, "No..."
"Don't deby it." He patted my face, "pushing away these beautiful emotion suppressing your anger will only make it grow... And then eventually you'll blow." He paused to laugh, "There's more than one way to torture a person. I'll get you to tell me what i want. And you'll be begging me to kill ya by the time I'm through with you....and to be poetic... To reunite your pathetic family once more.. When i do kill you it will be with this." He put the knife next to me, "Now if you'll excuse me Ember I have some planning to do... Harley."
"Yes puddin'?" Her response was almost too quick
"Take these useless tools and put them away... It's time we get creative." something came pouring down over me and i choked coughing up the liquid in surprise, "Theres some water to help you cool down."
Joker laughed as he moved out of the large room leaving Harley and I alone.
I could hear her rummaging through whatever horrifying torture tools she was packing up.
"Harley don't let him do this to me." I whispered trying to soothe my rage.
I saw her as a friend we'd been like sisters in mayhem and she'd always been supportive of me.
"You're doing it to yourself keeping secrets from my puddin' Ember." Her sing song uncaring tone made me physically flinch.
"Come on Harley you know me... I was just stalling for time." why was i lying to Harley? I wasn't feeling very much like myself.
She poked her face up over mine her pigtails tickling my face as she stared at me.
"You failed." she muttered coldly disappearing againg laughing as i heard her dancing around, "Failed. Failed failed failed. You failed."
"Failed what?" what was she talking about.
"Failed." She giggled reappearing over me a huge grin on her face eyes twinkling, "You failed the test Ember."
"Test...?"
Joker's voice came over an intercom as Harley cartwheeled away to gather the tools.
"Did you really think I'd be dumb enough to try to torture you up close? I was testing your loyalties Ember and boy did they change quick."
"It's all ready puddin' just the way you wanted it." Harley shouted
"Good girl... Now get off the platform Harley."
"What's ready Harley?" I asked
Harley's smile faded as she looked at me, "Guess you'll find out won't cha?"
"Harley..." I began to plead, "You know this isn't right...He's crazy... He doesn't truly care about you..."
"My puddin' loves me." Her angry face got close to mine, "he's the only one I care about. And you betrayed my puddin's trust... Do it puddin!" She back hand springed away and I felt something click inside me.
My breathing became heavy from rage my body severely trembling as I heard Joker's voice over the speakers again.
"Now to have some fun Ember." His laughter rang in my ears as suddenly i felt the table moving downwards.
I felt water seconds before i was submerged in some sort of tank the thing holding my head in place seemed to fold back into the table allowing me to look around.
Joker and Harley stood in front of the enormous tank a whole two levels down from where the platform had been originally.
She waved smugly holding a large video camera facing me as Joker held a microphone that hung from the ceiling.
"Let's see if you can die... I want to know if you can drown." He had a large picture in his hands a malicious smile on his face, "One final photo for old times sake."
I gritted my teeth thankfully i was in a shit ton of water so he couldn't see the tears that slipped as he pressed it to the glass.
It was a photo of me and Harley sitting on a very broken car her arm wrapped over me shoulder.
The actual happiness that shone in our laughing faces sent a sharp pang through my heart.
That picture had been taken the day i ended up stabbing my mother.
We'd been smashing up cars walking down the street and i remember finally feeling like i had belonged somewhere.
I felt cheated this was my greatest accomplishment i did everything i trained so hard for we should be celebrating now like we did then.
Tossing back drink smashing cars running around laughing ruining other people's day.
In the end Mr. J would have slunk off who knows where as Harely would've stayed to help me stumble back to my apartment.
I could almost literally feel my blood boiling as my thoughts of regret and longing and betrayal filled me.
Joker apparently had seen what he needed a started laughing before he turned to face Harley.
Harley looked at me then the picture Joker handed her and she doubled over laughing.
My ears were ringing a scream rolled its way out of my throat and I saw red.
Then something peculiar happened as I seethingly accepted the fact that i was drowning.
The water around me started to boil like actually boil the sound making Mr. J and Harley bring their attention back to the tank i was trapped in.
It seemed the more I let this uncontrollable rage flow the hotter the water seemed to get until finally... Crack.
Joker's confused face turned to one of anger he grabbed Harley quickly flying from the room as the glass of the tank shattered sending scalding water flooding everywhere.
I coughed up what water had been in my lungs then let out a choked scream my fists clenched so tightly my fingerbails were digging into my skin.
I lay there panting for a moment trying to catch my breath or leash back in my emotions.
I heard clapping slow clapping as Joker stood on the balcony above staring down at his eyes like needles his wide smile angry.
"Well aren't you just full of surprises?" He snarled, "now we know you can boil water in less than a minute. But that power I'm afraid is mostly useless compared to your other more prevalent powers."
"Well at least we know what to look for when she's mad." Harley laughed leaning next to him.
A growl more savage than I even expected erupted from me and my fury seemed to drown out my surprise as flames sprung to life around my body.
The chains holding me back melted away and trembling I stood seething.
"Well now that's new." Joker's amusement only made me angrier, "She really is a little ember after all."
"No." I glared up at them as the flames surrounding me started catching on the more flammable things in the room, "I don't accept that name anymore."
"Well darlin you can't keep changing it no one will know what to call ya." Harley rolled her eyes.
"It doesn't matter what they call me. It masters what I call me." The fire was beginning to get out of hand.
"Who cares?" Joker grabbed Harley's shoulder, "It's time to shake a leg and get out of here."
"What about her?" Harley asked as though a little disappointed.
"Oh yeah." He pulled out a gun and shot at me several times.
"Not this time." i dodged his stupid darts, "I told you I'd get out of here." I raised a hand to point at him, " and i will make good on my promises. And i will kill you."
"Such big threats for such a small girl Ember." The annoyance on Joker's face made me feel a little better.
"Just you wait Mr. J.... And i told you it's not Ember I'm not your pet anymore." I growled
"If you try to hurt my puddin' Phoebe I'll end ya." Harley leaned over the rails to meet my eyes with a snarl.
A smile spread across my face and I let out a barking laugh, "you already tried.... And i refuse to go back to Phoebe she's not me anymore."
" Then what do you want to be called." Harley was irritated.
I looked at them both and stared at the flames that were consuming the room.
"Pyre."
"Pyre?" Joker laughed, "is that the best you can do? Why on earth would you want such a stupid name?"
"Because the next time we meet... My flames of explosions will be your end and the flames i kill you with will be the only funeral you get."
Loud crackling from the flames cut off any response Joker had said as he hauled Harley behind him quickly disappearing as the rest of the room went up in flames.