This Joke's On the Bat (-joker-)

[James Wayne]

"He's insane...he has no right coming back here!" His father had been furious, almost as furious as the storm raging out side the window. They hadn't seen the shadow lurking right outside the bedroom door, he was as silent as a ghost. "He's the Joker..." A grin had snaked across his face at the next words spoken by his father, "Hailey, he's dangerous."

Dangerous. James thought with a snort, slipping unseen from his home at Wayne Manor. I'll be the judge of that, Father! He rolled his eyes, slipping the hood up to hide his face. He glanced back at the house, the dim light of the porch casting a shadow across his face, his milky blue eyes glimmering in the faint light before he scurried off into the night, melting into the dark like ice in a warm pot.

His eyes flickered around the alleyway of the Narrows, surveying his surroundings for any sign of 'the Joker', his father had called this man. James figured he was here, the Narrows. His eyes flickered about, if he was a criminal he would come here too. Cockily, James shouted into the darkness, "Where are you? Afraid to come out?"

[Joker]

Joker had gotten to the Narrows hours before. He had business to attend to in the form of getting a little help from a short man who had something Joker needed: money. He may not like needing money, but things cost and Joker needed those things. Due to that fact, he needed money. He glanced at the goon in the passenger seat and sighed softly. Had he been stood up by some dwarf? Money may usually be power, but Joker held the power here.

"Go find him. Get the money. Come back once you're finished." Joker mumbled, glancing around for a gun before finding one. He pointed at it and looked at Fire. "Take that. Go with him. If you don't get the money, don't bother coming back." He told the pair and picked up the news paper from the dashboard that Brute had been reading a moment before.

Beginning to do the crossword, Joker was stuck on one word - fourteen across, two words, three and seven letters with the clue 'crater creator' - and beginning to get annoyed as he stared down at the empty boxes in the black and white image. Crater creator... He had a sneaking suspicion that the clue had absolutely nothing to do with the actual answer. He heard movement from further down the Narrows and looked over the edge of his news paper to raise an eyebrow. From what he could see, it was a boy of... Joker wasn't sure what age but it didn't matter. Cocky little shit was probably just looking for a fight.

Arc tangent! Joker scribbled the words in and nodded to himself. It didn't have anything to do with the clue. Oh well, it wasn't important as the next clue gave him a giggle. 'Vigilante. Wears black.' Oh, he wondered...

"Bat... Man..." He mumbled to himself before licking at the corners of his mouth as he scribbled the answer in and began chewing on the Biro he was using. What a surprise, the word was six letters long.

Looking over his news paper again, Joker ground his teeth together and threw the paper into the passenger seat with the pen. He wouldn't be able to just sit by while some cocky kid yelled into thin air. Was he trying to attract the Bat? While Joker would be happy to get the Caped Crusader's attention normally, today was a little different. For starters he'd been interrupted during his crossword! And he was busy. He didn't have time for the Bat to come along...

Jamming the door open, Joker gave a small sigh and climbed out of the van while rolling his eyes before slamming the door shut and pulling a knife from his pocket, Joker hid the handle of the knife - a flick knife - in the palm of his gloved hand. The blade hidden within the handle. His dark eyes on the boy in front of him as he stepped forward, away from the van, and began casually walking towards the boy.

"Kid, go home." He said before sucking his cheeks in silently, his tongue pressing against the corners of his mouth while he pushed his bottom jaw out in what seemed to be an annoyed expression. "You don't want to know what goes bump in the night." He added, grin spreading across his painted lips and revealing his yellowed teeth to the young man. He doubted this kid was ready for the scary truths of what lurked in the darkness of Gotham City...

((Notes: I rambled like a boss in this. Sorry.))

[James Wayne]

James's eyes swiveled to the right when he heard the voice, his eyes widening at the sight of the white paint across the man's face. He felt very much like a scared little boy at the moment, and James hated feeling like a scared little boy, it wasn't what he was. He squared his shoulders, trying to look as dangerous as he knew he was. "My parents tell me you're dangerous..." started the Bi-Polar , his eyes flickering, his emotions a dancing flame on a candle. Any moment he could fall into one of his Moods, or worse have an Incident.

Incidents for James were horrible. His limbs would stretch and his whole body would change. He would no longer be a young man but a broad shouldered black wolf with glowing red eyes, sparks of living fire in the darkness.

Darkness...something James had always been apart of no matter how much Alex, Alyss and his parents had tried to tell him otherwise. James knew that he had been chosen for the dark from the very moment his eyes opened. He knew it would have been better if he hadn't been born.

He grew up thinking that he shouldn't have been born, living with endless torment from bullies at school. However, he'd asked to be pulled out and home-schooled after he nearly killed a kid after being called 'freak' one too many times. Yet, he hardly ever did his work. School just wasn't important to him. James hungered for the adrenaline of the chase, running over rooftops chasing the guilty...or chasing the innocent, it was all the same to James.

That was another thing about James Wayne, son of the Batman, he had powers, he knew he had powers, powers that he couldn't control - but he didn't care. He didn't care who he used them on or why he used them. He could be called reckless, but he was more then that. He just didn't care about rules binding him.

Oh no. He wasn't like his father. He would kill if asked. He would kill if needed. He would kill just for the sake of killing. He was a demon, you could also say. But James wasn't just any demon. He was the demon son of the Batman, protector and guardian of Gotham City while it was possible that James just could be it's downfall.

But it was his life on the line.

His soul to save.

But if you knew James, you knew he wasn't going to be easy to save.

His voice was soft, almost distant when he spoke again finishing his thought, "...and insane...insane..."

[Joker]

Joker raised a painted eyebrow at the first words to come from the kid's lips. Dangerous? They seemed to know him well, at any rate. That was good. Joker knew he still had a reputation now. He may not have had his Harley, or money, but he had a reputation. Reputations were powerful things. If you had a reputation for being dangerous... Well... You held a certain amount of power over everyone else. When you were known as the Prince of Crime... That gave you even more power, which Joker welcomed. It was his city, why wouldn't there be power for him.

"Then Mommy and Daddy know best." Joker commented quietly, his voice low in tone and slightly mocking, his lips pulled into a grin as he began stalking forward. His hand moved ever so slightly to press the small button on his knife and allow the blade to swing out sharply. To reflect what little light there was in this street. To shine and whisper gently to Joker... Or maybe that was just his mind whispering the urge to slice this kid's face open and leave him like that. Hm, both were equally as likely.

He moved just within touching distance of the boy and narrowed his dark eyes slightly as a question occurred to him: Why was this boy here? Before he could consider asking this question, though, more was said.

Insane.

The grin warped into a snarl. The red lips of the Clown Prince of Crime made way for yellow teeth that were bared in anger. Insane?!

"Insane, huh?" Joker asked, his eyes widening a little as his tongue darted out to wet the corners of his mouth. He moved a little closer to the boy and looked directly at his face. If this boy was looking at him, he was looking into his eyes with fury in his normally emotionless eyes. "You wanna know insanity?" He asked, his back straightening slowly as he subconsciously began trying to scare the kid. There was no doubt that he was already at least a little fearful, but a little didn't work for Joker. "In-san-it-y is dressing like a flying rodent and moving around the city - my city." He stated, his voice releasing a slight growl with the last two words as he raised his eyebrows, his eyes widened again. "Insanity is the silly little police playing their silly. Little. Games."

He took a slight step back and grinned again.

"I'm not... I'm not insane." He finished with, his tongue moving to run along the inside of his cheeks. Along the scarring inside his mouth. "Just mad." He said then giggled softly. "What's a little kid like you doing in a big bad place like this, hm? Only us monsters here tonight."

[James Wayne]

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[/style][style=font-family: georgia; font-size: 40px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -5px; color: 232D54; text-shadow: #000000 1px 1px 0px; line-height: 25px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left:1px; text-align: left;]seven devils in your heart

Holy water cannot help you now A thousand armies couldn't keep me out I don't want your money I don't want your crown See I've come to burn Your kingdom down Holy water cannot help you now See I've come to burn your kingdom down And no rivers and no lakes, can put the fire out I'm gonna raise the stakes; I'm gonna smoke you out Seven devils all around you Seven devils in my house See they were there when I woke up this morning I'll be dead before the day is done - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

His milky blue eyes caught a light, a random light that flared up like fire. A tremor passed through his whole body, a deathly hue of red springing up into his blue eyes for a brief moment before it was gone. His fists uncurled and his muscles rippled beneath his skin as he relaxed them. In that moment his eyes had slanted. He had looked wolfish for that brief flash of a second and then it was gone, the random splinter was gone.

"...You know them...my parents....maybe not my mom...my dad....you know him...quite well...." James's lips curved into a smirk. He looked a bit like his father, same dark hair, same rough edge to his voice, but his eyes weren't the same near black as his father's his were a strange milky blue.

James didn't make down as the man talked about insanity. The boy had never thought about it like that before. Was his father insane? He blinked, considering it. His thoughts went wild, was his father insane? Was the Batman insane? Was John Blake insane for being Robin? Was Amelia Blake insane for being Oracle? Was Alyss insane for being Blue Jay? Was Dick Greyson insane for being Nightwing? Was Barbara Gordon insane for being Batgirl? Was Jim Gordon insane for leading the police?

James blinked. He cocked his head and nodded. "...Gotham's...your city...?" James had always been told Gotham belonged to the GCPD and the Batman...his father.... but now this...this clown was telling him otherwise.

"You don't know the meaning of the word, monster," growled James, his eyes flickering again.

Seven devils all around you Seven devils in your house See I was dead when I woke up this morning, And I'll be dead before the day is done Before the day is done And now all your love will be exorcised And we will find your sayings to be paradox And it's an even sum It's a melody It's a battle cry It's a symphony Seven devils all around you Seven devils in my house See, they were there when I woke up this morning And I'll be dead before the day is done - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[/style][style= width: 200px; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; padding: 5px; color: 6a6a6a;]thereisalieinperfection @ CAUTION 2.0

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[Joker]

Joker's eyes narrowed, his head turned slightly. Did that guy just change? Really? Gotham was known for the villains, the corruption, the Bat, but freaks? Well, depending on your definition of freaks, it was or wasn't known for them. As far as Joker's definition went? It was well known for them... But this boy... He just seemed to have a whole different kind of freakiness going on. Joker was curious. He still had the urge to rip this kid's cheeks apart and leave him to stumble home, but he was less likely to do it while curious.

Curiosity meant safety for his targets. Joker would be fine so long as they never found that out. Otherwise they might all try to make themselves curious to him and that just wasn't fair!

Frowning a little, Joker was obviously confused. He knew this kid's parents? Had he threatened them? No... Usually if he threatened someone then they'd be dead. Someone's parents couldn't warn him if they'd been threatened. How the hell did he know them?

"Y'know, I... Uh..." He pulled a little of 'eehhh', revealing his teeth again. "I don't recall them. Names?" He asked, raising his eyebrows and licking at the corners of his lips quickly to merely dampen the ends of the scars.

After Joker's small rage about insanity, he could tell the kid was thinking. Anyone probably would while being told by Joker that insanity was being the Bat in his city. That was just the sane reaction to things. That's a shame. Nothing Joker couldn't sort out, though...

The question made Joker's eyes narrow again and look like he was having trouble hearing the kid. Really? Had he not... Had he not noticed the reactions Joker got? Joker opened his mouth, thought for a moment, then closed it again. He sucked his cheeks in momentarily before silently letting them go back to normal.

"Yeah, Kid." He said, his voice somewhat slow while the expression of apparently having not heard him was still on his features. "It's my city. I own this place." He stated, moving towards the boy again, his back once again straightening itself.

At the growled out words, Joker laughed harshly. His laugh almost sounding cough-like. He didn't know the meaning of the word?! Evidently, this kid hadn't been warned about Joker enough. He was a monster according to the news, the papers... His doctors that weren't Harley. He was a terrorist, a freak, a monster... He was never a human to these people. Of course not. That would make them assume that a person could turn into Joker...

Not just any person could, though. Only him.

Hey, if you were going to have a reputation, then Joker would prefer one that made you seem inhuman. If you seemed inhuman, then you weren't expected to have human feelings and emotions. While it was disappointing that there was no hint of hope disappearing in peoples' eyes when Joker wouldn't show mercy, it was a lot more fun when Joker came knocking and the fear was ready. Oh yes.

"You - uh... You think?" He asked, grin spreading across his painted lips. His scars warping to accomadate the expression. His dark eyes shrinking a little at the grin. "Why are you here, Kid? Wanna prove yourself to the big wide world? Wanna prove that you're an adult. That you know the bad side of things?" He asked, tilted his head before he grinned. His tongue poked out to damped the corner of his lips on one side and not the other before he began chewing on the inside of his scars on that side. "You wanna prove yourself against a monster? A freak?" He asked, growling the word freak with obvious hatred of it. "Wanna get a reputation?" He was so close that he could have touched the kid if he just took one, small step forward. He didn't, though. He lingered. He just lingered in the closeness before he pointed at the boy's face with the hand holding the knife. The blade glinting again slightly as it moved.

"You aren't ready to dance with the freaks, Kid. You're still convincing yourself there's no such thing as the boogie man." Joker said, grin having disappeared again, replaced by a look of almost disappointment. Warning and disappointment. "Oh, don't worry." He said, eyes widening a little as though he'd remembered something important for a moment. "There isn't." He added before grinning again. "There's things that are much worse." He finished, still grinning. The last two words having been a cross between growled and barked out. He began laughing a little and turned on the boy, no longer thinking anything more about him than him being some little kid who wanted attention. He wasn't Joker's responsibility, so Joker wouldn't give it to him. It was simple.

((Notes: 811 words. Idk how that happened but ENJOY!))

[James Wayne]

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Holy water cannot help you now A thousand armies couldn't keep me out I don't want your money I don't want your crown See I've come to burn Your kingdom down Holy water cannot help you now See I've come to burn your kingdom down And no rivers and no lakes, can put the fire out I'm gonna raise the stakes; I'm gonna smoke you out Seven devils all around you Seven devils in my house See they were there when I woke up this morning I'll be dead before the day is done - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

James struggled to control the sudden anger rushing through his veins. He squeezed his eyes shut, his fists clenching and cracking at his sides, his whole body shaking slightly as he tried desperately to control himself. How dare this man call his father insane, call Gordon and the GCPD insane! His eyes shot open, blazing like a flickering flame in a bonfire. They were glowing, a deathly hue of red in the darkness.

He could feel his skin stretching and his bones growing as he began to shift, but he closed his eyes and willed himself to stay human. He took a deep breath, hearing Alyss's voice. "James, James stay with me, you can do this..." It faded off, but that was all James needed to stay human. His hands uncurled from the fists they'd been in. His muscles loosened and his shoulders sagged slightly as he took a few short breaths before reopening his eyes, they were back to their normal - yet strange - milky blue.

"Names?"

The boy's head cocked to the side slightly. Should he give away his father's name? Should he betray his own father? His own flesh and blood? Was he really that horrible? He blinked slowly, taking in the Joker's words as though they could somehow give him the answer as to how to reply to that simple question. Yet, he said only one word, "Batman."

Had he just condemned his father to even more torture from the criminals of the night? The boy wasn't sure...and frankly he didn't care. Was that cold? Was that too cold for even James Thomas Wayne? Did the boy even have feelings? Well there could be two answers to that. Yes and no. He felt for Alyss, didn't he? Or was that just a trick of his mind? To tell the honest truth James wasn't even sure what he felt, if he felt anything. Wasn't he too cold to feel love for any living thing on this earth? Had those bullies from school sucked the goodness right from his heart? Had all those teachers that screamed at him when he was only trying to control himself when he broke the pencils and the chairs leached the caring right from his soul? James had tried, truelly the Wayne boy had tried to control himself...

He had tried to be normal....But he knew he'd always be a freak, that was what he was meant be, a freak for all eternity. Normal was just a term he used to try and push away the truth. It was never - and would never - be the truth, it was just a dream James was destined never to reach. And yet he still wondered.

Why? Why can't I have been normal? Am I cursed to be a beast...a villain...a criminal...a freak...an insane monster...a monster...a heartless cold creature for all time?

[/color] ... I don't have the help I need to fix the broken pieces of myself..but ...but I-I...I think they're too broken...laying in a path behind me...shattered shards never to be put back together....[/color]

"I am a freak....I'm a monster....a cold, heartless god damned freak," he grumbled with a sudden burst of anger. He didn't hear much of the Joker's other words, only the last two he said.

"...much worse."

"...much worse."

The Bi-Polar met the Joker's eyes, his own cold and blank and emotionless...holding a distant anger. "Are you sure....are you sure about that? You don't know me. You don't know what I can do." The growl erupted in his voice and his eyes flamed with red and he shut them, looking away, his fists clenching again...
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Seven devils all around you Seven devils in your house See I was dead when I woke up this morning, And I'll be dead before the day is done Before the day is done And now all your love will be exorcised And we will find your sayings to be paradox And it's an even sum It's a melody It's a battle cry It's a symphony Seven devils all around you Seven devils in my house See, they were there when I woke up this morning And I'll be dead before the day is done - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[/style][style= width: 200px; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; padding: 5px; color: 6a6a6a;]thereisalieinperfection @ CAUTION 2.0

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[Joker]

The answer as to what this kid's parent's name was surprised Joker. Batman had a kid? Why hadn't he at least told Joker? He thought they trusted each other! Ha. Like anyone would trust a guy who dressed as a flying rodent and beat people to a pulp. Though, that did mean this kid had something different about him. Regardless, Joker carried on his merry way through his words, his actions, his judgements. This kid might be the son of Batman, but he didn't seem to have any of Batman's strength. Any of his abilities. Anything that made Batman into the Batman Joker obsessed over. Oh, he knew he obsessed. He was well aware of that. He'd done it with Harley. He did it with the Bat. Hell, he was pretty sure there'd been a small amount of time when he'd obsessed over the Commissioner... But this kid was just a kid. He wasn't interesting to Joker beyond that link. He didn't even have any of the Bat's incorruptible nature...

Oh.

He barely heard the grumbled words through his own thoughts, his own mental plans of what he could do if this boy really was corruptible. He heard enough for them to amuse him, though. For them to make him laugh. It sounded to Joker like he was trying to convince himself more than he was the Clown Prince of Crime. Joker had turned after this and began walking off, though was curious about the boy. Curious about what he was like. Curious as to what Joker could do to him within reason. Curious as to how much the Bat cared about him. Oh, the things he could do...

Looking back at him as he heard words, Joker raised a painted eyebrow. His dark gaze fixated on him. There was the damn red again! There was something more interesting about him. Joker didn't have to give up yet... That was good. He was beginning to like this kid. Not in a creepy way, but in a 'he could be useful against his father' kind of way.

With a hint of a laugh heaving its way out of him, Joker sucked on his front teeth silently while thinking. No, he didn't know this kid. He knew the Bat, but not the brat. Oh, that was good. Joker was impressed with his own thoughts for a moment before they returned to what was at hand. He had to admit, he wasn't sure this kid could actually do anything, but what better thing to do than to find out? Yes, that sounded perfectly safe.

"Ballet? Or... Or can you dance the can can?" He asked, raising his eyebrows before he laughed again. "Kid... Kid... You're talking to me. You... You can't impress me with anger and growling." He told the boy, moving forward again. His hand was resting by his side with the knife. His shoulders were hunched. "What are you trying to prove, Kid? And who to? Because..." He pulled a face of indecisiveness. "Him, Kid? He won't pay attention to anything you try to prove." He licked at the corners of his lips as he paused. "You know that." He nodded with a knowing expression gently changing his painted features. "But... But growling? Heh. What are you? Are... Are you a dog?" He raised his eyebrows again. "Like... Like I asked before, Kid..." His head was held somewhat high now and he looked down at the boy in front of him. "Why are you here?" Joker asked, pronouncing each word deliberately, his voice low. His gaze remaining on the boy's. He guessed he had about five minutes before the goons came back - no doubt they'd come back even if he didn't have the money - and Joker would very much like to find out something about this boy other than the fact that he growled a lot. No kidding he was related to the Bat...

((Notes: I hate this so much. I'm sorry. I'll go into hiding of SHAME.))

[James Wayne]

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Holy water cannot help you now A thousand armies couldn't keep me out I don't want your money I don't want your crown See I've come to burn Your kingdom down Holy water cannot help you now See I've come to burn your kingdom down And no rivers and no lakes, can put the fire out I'm gonna raise the stakes; I'm gonna smoke you out Seven devils all around you Seven devils in my house See they were there when I woke up this morning I'll be dead before the day is done - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

James didn't say anything at first. He just stood there, mauling over his thoughts. Just kill him already, just kill the god dammed freak then maybe your father will appreciate you, said a voice in his head. The taunting edge making James shake with anger. He does appreciate me! He does!!

[/i] he screamed at himself, but deep down inside he doubted those words. He didn't think he father even liked him.

Those looks, those looks that made it seem like James had been born from the pits of hell by a demon. His parents didn't love him. James didn't think they did. Hell, he knew they didn't. He could feel the sadness crashing down over him, but he pushed the tidal wave away with a crashing amount of anger. It was easy for the son of Bruce Wayne to push away all his feelings with anger. He was always angry.

Angry at his father. Angry at his mother. Angry at his brother. Angry at his father because he was a good man. James didn't believe he deserved to be the son of such a highly thought of man when he was just as evil as this freak he stood before. Angry at his mother because she too was a woman that saved the world instead of tearing it down like James did. Angry at his brother, Alexander, because of the control he had. Alex had gotten all the control and James had gotten nothing. James didn't think it was fair that his brother could control himself while he could not. It didn't make sense, didn't he deserve to have a normal life too?

Normal. The word sent pangs of longing rippling through the strange boy. Oh what he would give to be normal. Just a dream you'll never reach,[/i] he told himself sadly, turning his pale eyes to the Joker.

"He won't pay attention to anything you try to prove." The Joker had said. Did he mean Bruce? Did he mean James's dad? Yes. Yes, that's what he meant. The anger, the pain and the sadness tackled James all at the same time and he hardly restrained himself from loosing control right then and there. He was still fuming when the Joker went on to say, "Are..are you a dog?"

The kid couldn't take it anymore. He lifted the block and let loose. He dropped to his hands and knees, withering in pain. His skin stretched, and his face became longer and before long, after a few agonizing moments of shifting, instead of a boy, there was a large - larger then normal - black wolf crouched on the black pavement.

He stood tall, tall and straight, shaking and his muscles ripping beneath his fur. His tail lashed back and forth angrily and his eyelids slid open, his eyes blood red and giving off a glow of scarlet. The wolf bared its teeth, the fur standing up along its broad shoulders and along its spine. A growl, a loud snarl, slid free from his clenched teeth, his fangs sharp and yellowed. "There's a difference between dogs and wolves," James shoved the growling thought into the Joker's head, his red eyes narrowed into slits of color - vivid against the black of his fur.
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Seven devils all around you Seven devils in your house See I was dead when I woke up this morning, And I'll be dead before the day is done Before the day is done And now all your love will be exorcised And we will find your sayings to be paradox And it's an even sum It's a melody It's a battle cry It's a symphony Seven devils all around you Seven devils in my house See, they were there when I woke up this morning And I'll be dead before the day is done - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[/style][style= width: 200px; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; padding: 5px; color: 6a6a6a;]thereisalieinperfection @ CAUTION 2.0

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[Joker]

Confusion spread across Joker's face as the kid dropped to the ground. What the hell was going on?! That was not the normal reaction to meeting Joker and being told you wouldn't be able to prove anything... And his damned question still hadn't been answered! That was not at the front of his thoughts, though. His main one was 'what is going on here?', and for good reason...

Once the change was complete, Joker paused for merely a moment before hysterical giggles erupted from him. When the boy had said that he was a monster, Joker really hadn't been expecting him to be an actual monster. The fact that he was, though, just made Joker laugh. The growled thought only intensified Joker's laughter. He had a point there.

"E-Evidently!" Joker laughed out, deciding mentally to never expect things again. They never happened. What he expected to happen never did. He always ended up either extremely disappointed or highly amused, surprised and impressed. The latter was Joker's current reaction. Expect to be talking to a normal kid who just thinks he's a freak, a monster... Then find out nope, he's actually a monster...

"When... When you said you were a monster..." Joker began, though his words were lost to laughter for a few minutes before he could continued. "I... I didn't think you meant literally.' He giggled, though soon added: "Not that it's a bad thing."

Oh no. It wasn't a bad thing. It was a very good thing. Another little monster just to throw into the mix. Just to upturn the balance. Oh the chaos that could come. The things they could do together... Joker rarely thought of teaming up, but this time? He'd make an exception. He giggled a little and moved slightly closer. There wasn't a single hint of caution in his movements. Quite the opposite, actually. There was confidence. Confidence that he wouldn't be eaten by the wolf in front of him... And he wouldn't. This kid had come here for a reason. It probably wasn't to eat clowns.

"Y'know... Y'know..." Joker began, breathing out a laugh once he'd finished the second 'y'know'. "There's a place that'll accept you." He said, raising his eyebrows and turning his head slightly. Every kid wanted acceptance, right? What better than acceptance handed to them despite their current state? And who better to offer it than someone who knew what it was like to be demonised and called a freak... A monster...?

Joker's tongue darted out of his mouth to damped the corners of his lips as he watched the wolf. His dark eyes looking directly into the wolf's red ones. His painted lips slowly spreading into a grin - revealing his yellowing teeth as they did so. All while he waited for the answer. Would he or wouldn't he? That was the question. Would he accept Joker's offer - the offer of acceptance, of unspoken security - or wouldn't he? Would he prefer to live life amongst the normal people, who would forever treat him as a freak, a monster, first and a human second, or would he prefer to live amongst the freaks, the monsters, and be surrounded by people who knew what it was like? Who knew about the stares, the whispers, the rumours... It was entirely his choice, and Joker wouldn't have it any other way, but the question was as to which choice he'd make... Joker could only wait to find out, though the grin on his lips said that he already knew the answer.

((Notes: I don't really know what happened at the end, but 590 words of Joker for you! And writing like Emilie Autumn at the end. Oh well! Not sorry!))

[James Wayne]

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Holy water cannot help you now A thousand armies couldn't keep me out I don't want your money I don't want your crown See I've come to burn Your kingdom down Holy water cannot help you now See I've come to burn your kingdom down And no rivers and no lakes, can put the fire out I'm gonna raise the stakes; I'm gonna smoke you out Seven devils all around you Seven devils in my house See they were there when I woke up this morning I'll be dead before the day is done - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

James growled at him, shaking his black fur. He sat back, watching him with red eyes of blood. His ears flickered, he thought he heard something. No. That was further off, not close enough to harm either of them. Not that James cared about the man before him enough to actually be concerned with his life or death.

James rolled his eyes at the Joker laughed. He sat there, waiting for the laughter to die out. It didn't. It kept coming. The wolf watched him with a somewhat bored expression. The Joker was still laughing. A low growl bubbled up from the base of the black wolf's throat as though telling him to stop laughing. 1) because it was annoying and 2)...because it was annoying....

'Are you done now? With the laughter? 'Cause it's really not funny,' slits of red watched the Joker. James said nothing more, just watched him from where he sat, his black fur gleaming in the dim light of the sky's half closed eye. The wolf yawned, exposing long yellowed canines.

A large growl erupted from the wolf's throat. He didn't enjoy being called a monster despite knowing that he was one. The growl was cut off abruntly by the 'not that it's a bad thing'. 'What do you mean it's not a bad thing?' James asked, watching the painted man.

'I'd stay back if I were you, Clown,' he growled out a warning, 'I might just slip and bit your leg off.' Of course James didn't have an appetite for humans, but if he was forced to he would attack the man confidently approaching him. His narrowed eyes watched as he came closer. 'I don't understand you,' he growled softly, rolling his eyes.

His whole demeanor changed. He stopped growling. Curiosity flicker through his eyes. 'What place? How? What do I have to do?' The questions came out in a rush, some of the words slurring together into one. His eyes, suddenly filled with hope, looked up at the Joker's dark eyes. 'What do I have to do?' He asked again.

James knew that if he told anyone about this they would tell him accepting was a bad idea. It was the Joker for crying out loud. But James couldn't reject when the word 'acceptance' was mentioned. He didn't know what this would do to him, but he didn't really care. He wanted to be accepted and if he had to go with the Joker to get it. Then so be it. He would do whatever it took to be accepted.

Whatever it took.

Seven devils all around you Seven devils in your house See I was dead when I woke up this morning, And I'll be dead before the day is done Before the day is done And now all your love will be exorcised And we will find your sayings to be paradox And it's an even sum It's a melody It's a battle cry It's a symphony Seven devils all around you Seven devils in my house See, they were there when I woke up this morning And I'll be dead before the day is done - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[/style][style= width: 200px; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; padding: 5px; color: 6a6a6a;]thereisalieinperfection @ CAUTION 2.0

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[Joker]

The question posed to him made him pause. How could it be a bad thing? All the people who could be scared of him. All the chaos that could come. How could this be a bad thing at all? It couldn't be. It was impossible. Well, it depended on who was asked. Some people might think it a bad thing, but Joker didn't. Joker couldn't. He gave a small hint of a laugh.

"How could it be?" He asked, raising a painted eyebrow questioningly. "The fear. The power..." Joker grinned before licking at the corners of his lips, his dark eyes remaining on the wolf in front of him. "The chaos." He hissed before laughing softly. "Any other reaction... Any other thought... Would be insane." He joked, practically growling out the last word before laughing again. He couldn't help it. It was funny. Sanity was funny and it was rarely even present...

At the warning, Joker laughed again, harder than before.

"Wouldn't I taste a little..." He paused, looking for the right word with a sigh before a dark, demented grin warped his features. "Funny?" He asked, his voice rather quiet as he continued to grin before he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth momentarily. The grin returned a moment later, though, before his tongue darted out to dampen the corners of his lips, brushing the ends of the scars gently.

At the questions, Joker's grin returned. The grim, demented, somewhat manic grin that didn't quite spread warmth, happiness or glee to his dark, cold eyes. What did he have to do? Oh, the things Joker could suggest. The things he could probably make him do... But he had something better. Something... Unexpected.

"Normally I'd say 'prove it'... But, uh..." Joker breathed out a small, soft laugh. "You already have..." He stated darkly, watching the wolf. "You don't have to, but for a little... Fun... How 'bout a fight?" He asked before grinning. "We can even make it a little competition!" He said loudly, raising his eyebrows with almost glee at the idea. "You win, I do whatever you want..." He paused. "Within reason, of course."

Joker's grin returned before he began talking again, pacing lightly from side-to-side almost as though waiting to pounce upon prey.

"If I win... If... If I win... You have to do whatever I say... Whatever..." He paused again, his gaze on the ground momentarily before moving to James. "Within reason." He added with a grin. "Whaddya say, Wolfboy?"