A Three Jokers Orgin story. So there's been a lot of Joker in the news lately. Lots of debate about giving him an origin story. Should he have one? Should it be multiple choice? Should it be a mystery? Well I'm curious by nature. I love the origin s...
"We don't have time for your games Joker," Bruce rasps, "We have a crime to stop."
"Oh I know," the Joker gleams and looks down at his watch, "Hostage situation in the East End? Right? Well that's all worked out. Any second now a detective on the scene will be contacting Jimbo here to tell him the situation has been defused." Just then Gordon's phone began ringing from the inside pocket of his coat. "See," the Joker motions and glances at Bruce with a smile as he continues circling the child.
"Gordon here," Jim answers his phone. "How is that possible? I didn't send snipers up in the roof?" The Joker's smile only grows as he realizes that Bruce has figured out that he is somehow behind things. Gordon hangs up his phone, "The assailant was shot. It was a sniper, but it wasn't one of mine," he shakes his head.
"You," Batman says lowly as he stared, unblinking, at the Joker.
"Uh...your welcome?" The Joker shrugs.
"Why?" Bruce demanded.
"Why? So we could have more time while I have you here. I stopped a crime and prevented future ones. Trust me, the guy was a crook and the world is better off without him. And I did happen to save the lives of his wife and children, who he had been holding at gunpoint. One would think that a thank you would be in order. I did you a favor."
Bruce points his finger at the Joker, "You just murdered someone."
"Me? How did I do that from this rooftop? You've all three been staring right at me this whole time. I didn't pull the trigger," he dismissively shrugs and turns his attention back to Jason. "Has papa told you aaaallllllllll about me?" The Joker asks the kid and smiles.
"Yes," Jason hisses, still crouched for a fight.
The Joker's eyes cut over to Bruce, "I somehow doubt that," the Joker snarls as he eyes Bruce.
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"I'd be willing to bet he's left out a few things."
"Leave him alone," Batman says.
"I haven't done anything to him," the Joker says and turns a predatorial stare back on Jason. The Joker cocks his head and stares deeply, past the mask, into the child's soul. "Mmmm, you're so full of anger kid. What's wrong? Is the new suit rubbing you in all the wrong places?"
Jason slightly shakes his head in disbelief, "You're even crazier than he said."
"Well," the Joker twirls his wrist, "I try. Somebody has to play the crazy guy, right? Why not the bleached freak with green hair?" He leans in closer to Jason, "Right?"
"Get away from me before I take you down," Jason warns.
"What? All five feet of you? Mmmm, doubtful. Though I would really enjoy watching you attempt to," the Joker taunts him.
Jason makes a quick move, about to engage in combat. But Bruce quickly moved between the two and stops Jason, "He's just trying to work you up. Ok? Just ignore him."
"I can take him," Jason argues and looks around Bruce at the Joker giggling.
"You're not ready for him," Bruce says softly and shakes his head, "He's fast and as limber as a ferrit."
The Joker giggles even louder, "Oh come on Bats, I could help you train the little guy...that is if I don't kill him," he winks at Jason.
Batman spins around and grabs the Joker by the lapels of his jacket. "Why are you doing this?" He growls.
Their eyes meet and Bruce can't help but see how dialated the Joker's pupils were. But past that he found a pain in the Joker's eyes. And all that the Joker could see in Bruce's eyes was rage. But he was expecting that, and the confirmation only placed more pain in his eyes. The Joker realizes he's given away too much. He quickly shoved Bruce's hands off him and pushes him back a few feet. "Because you're playing with fire! That...child," he points at Jason, "is just one bad day from being me and you know it!"
"No I'm not!" Jason shouts back, "I'm nothing like you, you pschopath!"
"Oh no?" The Joker asks in surprise, his forehead creased. "Oh if you only knew little birdie. Your old man knows," he smiles and clamps down with a vice like grip on Bruce's shoulder, "dontcha daddy?"
Bruce grabs the Joker's wrist and spins his arm around his back and holds him, "Enough! You're going back to Arkham!"
"No. No I don't think I will be," the Joker purrs. "You didn't think I'd come here all by myself did you? I might look alone here in this roof, but I assure you bats, the sniper I sent to the East End wasn't the only one at my disposal. So if I were you, I might step the fuck off, you flying rodent."
Bruce reluctantly let's him go. He knows that the Joker wasn't above having a sniper blow his head off. In the Joker's mind he would be blameless since he himself didn't pull the trigger. The Joker giggles softly and straightens his suit as he turns to face Bruce. "This isn't over," Bruce warns him.
"Oh I counting on that," the Joker nods with a smirk. He pulls out a smokebomb and the three of them prepare for the worst. Gordon crouches and Bruce and Jason take fighting stances. "Easy," the Joker says slowly, "it's just a smokebomb," he says and pulls the pin. He rolls it across the roof in front of him. As the smoke poured out he laughed, "See you soon Batsy! Hahaha!" And he grabbed the rope waiting for him and started down the side of the building and into an open window a few stories down.
When Bruce finally fought his way through all the smoke he looked down over the side of the building and saw nothing but a dangling rope. The Joker was gone. Bruce knew he wouldn't be taking him back to Arkham tonight. But Bruce also knew that when the Joker said he would be seeing him soon, that he would.
