File: image009.jpg (8 KB, 454x340)

8 KB JPG

>>43259762

You are laying on a desk in the Ace Chemical Plant, your shirt off. A stocky man with a moustache and graying hair is sitting next to you, wearing a blue-green medical coat. A pair of star-shaped glasses are folded in his pocket. Coal is nearby. "That was already there," says Coal. "He needed an extra pocket." The man looks surprised. "Yes, well, be glad you didn't have to be the one to do it," she says.

"He should be in a hospital," says the man. "There's a possibility of neurological damage, but I don't know what kind of internal damage he's got inside this wound." "It's fine," you tell him. "Who are you, by the way? How long was I out?" You notice a snowflake-like pattern covers both arms and crosses your chest. "And what is this?" you ask.

"Michael Thorne," he says as he puts on the star-shaped glasses. "The 'Crime Doctor.'" He takes off the glasses. "The glasses are for show. People like you seem more comfortable around other supercriminals, so I needed some kind of costume. You've only been out since last night; it's noon now. And those markings ruptured blood vessels," says the man. "It's an effect of the lightning strike. It should clear up. You're lucky it was raining; the lightning flashed over your body instead of through your heart. From the hand that held the kite to your other hand."

File: 318392-178432-crime-doctor.jpg (40 KB, 640x640)

40 KB JPG

>>43259815
You look at your aching palms. One has a straight line burned across it; the hand that held the kite string. Your right palm, though, is covered with a deep round wound where the lightning-heated joybuzzer burned into your hand. The flesh on your ring finger is badly torn. "She wouldn't let me cut it off," says the doctor, handing you the joybuzzer from a table nearby. "I did the best I could in getting it off." "I didn't think you'd be able to get another," says Coal. "And you've never seemed to concerned with your physical well being." A touch of irritation is in that last sentence.

"Thank you both," you tell them as you look over the device. It's not melted, luckily. You pop open the casing to make sure nothing inside looks damaged. It looks fine, but you can't be sure. And you're not about to test it on yourself.

"What about Irons?" you ask them. "And how did I get here?" "Deula," says Coal. "We haven't seen her since. And I'm assuming that Mister Irons is..." she points at a lump nearby covered in a tarp. You get up off the table against the doctor's wishes, and walk over to the tarp. You pull it open, and are immediately assaulted by the smell of burnt meat and charcoal.

"She had some of the men carry him," says Coal. "The lightning passed through your ring and into him; it didn't have a chance to pass over his skin. And... the electricity from the ring didn't help. I suppose she thought this was as close as you'd get to capturing him."

"I told him to pray," you say. "Guess God doesn't answer prayers in Gotham."

"Look at him, Boss. Guy got struck by lightning. I'd say somebody's prayer got answered. With extreme prejudice." You turn to see Dwayne walk in.

"Well...It wasn't mine," you say.

His face and arms are covered in nicks and cuts, and his head is bandaged. "How you feelin', Boss?"

You think back to last night. To The Joker.

"I've been better," you tell him honestly.

File: lightning-strike-effects-(...).jpg (100 KB, 800x1067)

100 KB JPG

>>43259845

You sigh. "That's good to hear. Any... other details?"

He shakes his head. "Nah. Nygma's already testifyin' against Irons, though. He's savin' his own skin. He was just a contractor anyway, an' he didn't really do nothin' illegal. The others all scattered back around Gotham. Nightjar said Heed's been stayin' with Penguin."

"They're staying in Gotham? I figured they'd want to be as far away as possible once everyone got back. People will be out for blood."

"You'd think so, right?" says Dwayne. "But they're angrier at the cops than they are the criminals helpin' 'em. Nobody got ratted out- just figured out, so no trust was broken, an' nobody really lost face. An' it coulda been worse, I guess. Those guys made sure everybody just got carted off to another jail they could break out of."

"On our dime," you point out.

"Have you heard from Deula, or Dot?" you ask him. "Or anyone else?"

"Deula probably ran back to the Axis plant," he tells you. "No big name casualties, you'll be happy ta' know. But the boys, boss- we lost a lot of good kids. All three gangs. I ain't heard from Matches, either..." He looks worried.

"I'm sure Matches is fine," you tell him reassuringly. "He seems like a tough character."

"I don't know, Boss. Matches is a terrible shot- I ain't never seen him hit nothin'... I think his eyes is goin'."

You wish you could say something to reassure your friend, but you can't. "What about Dot?"

"Right here, Boss," she says, stepping into the room. She comes up to you. "Good to see you're okay." Then, she shocks you. For the first time, Dot reaches out and gives you a cautious hug.

While her face is next to yours, though, she whispers into your ear. "I warned you. You should've run." No one else hears. Dot quickly releases you. The others try to be nonchalant, but you can see both Coal and Dwayne are shocked.

File: lightning-strike-effects-(...).jpg (83 KB, 600x695)

83 KB JPG

>>43259864

"Well Boss," says Dwayne. "Looks like we can all lay back an' relax, right? Focus on pickin' up the pieces. Ain't nobody gonna be forgettin' the Joker after all that, right?"

>wat do

>>43259889
>Ain't nobody gonna be forgettin' the Joker after all that, right?"
over the long term since the original is back things should normalize eventually. on the short term however we will be in for a right with the conclusion of his plan.

(also we need a new makeup style since the original is back, how about sad clown or mime?)

>>43259889
Maybe. Maybe not.

Dulia brought us back. But. She'd been clearly conditioned by the OG. Is it weakening? We don't have enough info. This whole thing's a problem.

I'm not really sure what to do...other then he'll be coming. Soon. Probably today.

>>43259889.
>"I warned you. You should've run."

Are we about to get killed?

>>43259889
Focus on getting prepared for the absolute shitstorm that is about to hit us. Get that contractor chick here and make our plant a fucking fortress. GET GUNS AND BOMBS. PREPARE FOR HELL.

>>43259864
"Dwayne, get me Condiment King, Roxy Rocket and we'll probably need Quilt and Duffey. And I need to talk to Nightjar. Maybe Nocturna, depending. And Harvey, I'll need to talk to him."
"And I need to remember I can exercise narrative control. Hah."

>>43259889
"I notice that you're still calling me boss. Didn't switch over to the old man? Had some faith in the newer generation?"

>>43259889
"Either way, we might have to kill Duela. But there's one last thing in Gotham I'm going to kill. You know Frankenstein's a story about crime and punishment?"
"Victor makes Adam, who hunts him down and kills him for making him on a lark."
"Think that'd make me 'Caine' as it were?"

>>43259889
No Dwayne, no. We can't. We might have to gas Axis by the way. There's this thing in the deck I have to counter. Even if it kills me.

File: IMG_2356.jpg (79 KB, 620x320)

79 KB JPG

>>43259889

"I notice that you're still calling me boss. Didn't switch over to the old man? Had some faith in the newer generation?" you ask.

They look confused.

"You guys all know the Joker is back... right?" you say. The others look at each other.

"I mean, you said Calculator told you he was, but-" starts Dwayne.

"No, he's BACK. Now. He was part of the Brain Trust. Duela and I met him. He's conditioned her or something, but it might be weakening... I don't know."

A stunned silence. Only Dot does not look surprised. She just looks... sad.

"He's... what?" says Dwayne.

"He's back," you say. "He'll be coming. Probably soon. Maybe even today. He let us go last night, but... The point is, we need to get the Carpenter in here. I want this place turned into a fortress. And guns- we need guns. And men. And bombs. We need to prepare for Hell, because he's coming. With bells on."

They all stand around, quietly.

"...Guys?" you ask. "You're not...?"

"We... never really thought to much about what we'd do when he..." Dwayne trails off. "I mean, it was always kinda foregone conclusion that we'd... ya know... But..."

"That you'd kill me?" you ask.

"Yeah..." he says.

"And will you?" you ask him. "You told me you would, once. Not too long ago."

"That was different, Bo- Kid...." He grits his teeth.

"Who do you want?" asks Dot, taking Dwayne's phone from his pocket. He doesn't stop her.

You quickly start listing names. "Carpenter, and Mitchell, and probably Dekker. And I need Nightjar, and and Nocturna, too. And Harvey, I'll need to talk to him."

She nods.

"And the Roxanne woman Calculator told me about. I think we might be able to use her," you add.

Dot turns to Dwayne. He sighs, and takes the phone.

"You don't know how to get ahold of mercs I ain't got on speed dial. I'll get her... Boss," he says with some resignation.

"Thank you, Dwayne," you tell him. "Both of you, thank you."

(cont)

File: duela_dent_by_windofthest(...).jpg (67 KB, 400x600)

67 KB JPG

>>43260538

"We may have to gas the Axis Plant, too," you tell them. "I just don't know what Duela's going to do. She might turn on us. Joker said she wasn't his real daughter, though, and she kind of flipped."

The others nod, and set off.

"I... think I should go," says the Crime Doctor. "This seems like an internal affair. I'll be on call if you need me." He hurries off.

Coal pulls you aside. "Have you considered that Duela might not be the only one who could turn on you?" she says, nodding towards the others. "The big one seemed to have reservations already. The girl might say she's on your side now, but what's stopping her from changing sides like she's done in the past? And no matter what they say, once he shows up, they could just as easily go back to him."

"So could you," you tell her. "You could betray me just as easily as they could."

She looks hurt. "I never worked under him, did I? I've always been YOURS." She jabs a sharp finger into your ribs. "When he comes back here, I'm as dead as you are, so I've a vested interest in that not happening, don't I?" She sighs. "Even if you don't consider the fact that I MIGHT actually be concerned about you."

>wat say

>>43260902
No, you're right. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

I THINK Dot's trustworthy. If she wasn't, she'd have knifed us the moment we mentioned him. She's in this just as deep as you or me at this point. But you're right, it's not 100%. Still...it's a gamble. What if putting something aside in case she's not is what it takes to have her flip sides on us?

>>43261014
it seemed like dot knew. she warned us.

>>43261040
Yeah. Which is why I'm really iffy on things.

One of the best, BEST ways to turn someone against you is to show a lack of trust.

This whole thing's one massive goddamn headtrip.

>>43261014
this

>>43260902
Getting out of this alive was never really in the cards, my death was always the punchline of this joke.

>>43261098
No reason to be fatalistic.

The big plan is the clown goes down. Hard.

If us dying is that what it takes, sure, then that's the flip of the coin.

But if we can do it, and not go with'm? That's the one we aim for.

>>43260902
"I don't like being manipulated." Come on, it's pretty obvious she's manipulating us. Even if she's manipulating us for our own good, we shouldn't let her.

>>43260902
"Honestly Coal? I started this thinking everyone would. But hope for the best, plan for the worst. But Dot and you are getting out of this alright if I have anything to say about it. Honestly. Brock Carter is the only name I'm willing to take off my list."

>>43261182
It's for her own, and our own, good for once.

Maybe make a mention of it, but we need her. She's right; we die without taking out J, she's meat too.

No need to antagonize. Not now.

>>43260902
"They're my friends you know? As long as you guys can walk away from this, I don't care if I can at curtain call. Gotta take both out of the deck before anybody'll touch it remember?"

>>43260902
If it's all the same to you I'll trust the people I care about to make their own choices. You could have all royally fucked me over in the past, and didn't."

Eh. Its a shame we cant just stop wearing the joker garb, make ourselves up like a normal joker thug and melt into the lowest end of the crew/ skip town for a while then come back and join back up as a low level crew member.

Fry a body to make it look like lightning and leave it for the old boss to find. Make a joke about steak night or something.

File: IMG_2325.jpg (41 KB, 396x261)

41 KB JPG

>>43260902

"...You're right, Colette. I'm sorry. Hope for the best, plan for the worst," you say.

"I'm not sure if 'the best' could really be in the cards, Brock," says Coal.

"I started this thinking everyone would turn on me. I think Dot is trustworthy. If she wasn't, she'd just have killed me when I mentioned him. I think she's in this just as deeply as you or I at this point. She's been behind me this whole time. But... it's not one hundred percent. But putting something aside in case she isn't could be what makes her turn on us. One of the best ways to turn someone against you is to show a lack of trust."

"Like you do to me? Constantly?" she asks.

"Alright, Point take-"

"Or like you did with with Cris."

"...That's too far, Coal. I don't like being manipulated."

She throws her hands up. "All I'm saying is that this would have been much simpler if you'd killed her when I told you to."

"You guys are my friends. All of you. Dot and you are getting out of this alright if I have anything to say about it. Honestly. As long as you guys can walk away from this at curtain call, I don't care if I can. 'Brock Carter' is the only name I'm willing to take off my list. My death was always the punchli-"

"Please, don't," she says. "Not again. Must you be so eager to die?"

"The big plan is that the clown goes down, Coal. Hard. If dying is what it takes, then that's what I do. If I can do it and not go with him, though? That's what I'm aiming for," you say. "Gotta take both out of the deck before anybody'll touch it, anyway. I'll trust the people I care about to make their own choices. You could have all royally fucked me over in the past, and didn't."

"We never had The Joker around to tell us to," she says, walking back up to her office. "Just... think about it."

Of course we could pull the nuke card and let slip to the batman where the hideout is.

>>43261526
How, is the big question?

That said...a pitched battle, with Batman showing up to gum things up? Might be just what we need to slip a knife in the clown's spine.

We know J is obsessed with Bats. Might be able to leverage it.

's long as he's dead, if we're hauled into Arkham after? ....well, what's so wrong with a vacation?

>>43261650
We could just point out WE got a laugh out of the moralizing idiot.
"You know, you're right. How could I be the Joker? I got a laugh out of the Bat."

>>43261733
That said. We should probably bug Dot a bit on knife thrusts. Best places to stab for one and dones. Either killed, or in so much pain that the killing strike's easy.

We've got, at most, one real shot at this. Fuck it up, and J's got us, that's just how he works.

>>43261650
Not even that, we just have to make the joker think its too much hassle to kill us, without rubbing anything in about us being him for a time.

Easy way to call the bat, soon as the origonal joker shows up in the building, big old batman symbol in the sky (maybe make it a clown face?), like weve seen shown above the cops place. After that we stall for time leading a merry chase through the plant.

>>43261733
Using this as a taunt would be a good idea.

In the end we want to look like weve been run out, but itd be more a pain to keep coming after us. The joker will go back to the bat like normal and we slip into the gotham underworld. We may be a face type, but we can fight.

Hell, could make our own gang someday.

>>43261650
We did give the Bat a cell phone months ago. But that'd probably get in the way of murdering the old man. I'd more like to put him down, as long as our friends are alright at the end of it I don't mind dying.
At this point he probably plans on cleaning house of all of us.
It's what we would've done at the start if we were even slightly more douchey or paranoid.

File: url.png (601 KB, 449x640)

601 KB PNG

>>43261445
"D's got your people comin'," says Dot. "Nocturna can't be here 'till nighttime. Harvey too- said he's busy."

"In the meantime," you tell her, "I want to tell you my plan. Dot, I'm going to kill myself."

"Again?" she asks.

"Best of all, I've already done the work. We have a charred corpse. We just have to leave it for the Joker to find it. I'll slip in as a normal gang member. Maybe in Duela's boys for the time being. I'll be less of a target."

"You know how she gets about her henchmen, Boss," says Dot. "She ain't got the best retirement plan."

"Well, it's not looking like sunny beaches and golfing on this side of the street, either," you tell her. "I'll be fine. I know when NOT to follow orders."

"Well, you got that right," she agrees. "You can't follow orders for shit. Or advice, for that matter."


The Joker stands in an abandoned Toy Factory across town, happily mixing a green concoction with a child's chemistry set on the table, humming to himself.

"I did just whatcha wanted, Mistah J!" says Harley, having slipped back into her red-and-black bodysuit. "I went an' brought em' right back here."

"Oh, good," he says. "The new help." He stands, smiles, and pats her on the head. "Good girl," he says. She lets out a little squeal.

He steps onto the main factory floor, where a man with a long hook-nosed mask and black coat. "Mister 'Merrik BYRONS?'" asks the Joker, with a chuckle.

The man nods. "Seemed fitting," says the man. "The last one is in jail, after all."

"Good man!" says "A traditionalist, Harle! I like that. Knows how to respect his elders. And you even got his old gang back together, too!"

"Took some persuading," says the Merrik. "But I can be very persuasive."

>>43261933
Murder comes second to survival. With bats around we are more likely not to die. As silly as that sounds concerning the joker.

>>43261790
I'm just more concerned we didn't get to shoot Questioner in the face.
That may have been our one real shot, I think some anons knew and just didn't want to metagame.
Granted, we're the Joker, we're allowed to use plot holes and peeking at other panels right? If so, then it's time we make use of it.
More than anything, his biggest mistake was handing the title and power to, well, Brock.

>>43262068
Not really no, OG joker knows whats going to happen because 1) Hes really good at getting to know people and 2) He plans like only a madman can
But when all that fails
3) He can improvise like a boss

So no meta gaming, as tempting as it is. Its a brilliant way to have the QM slap you down hard as well.

Damn, knew he was hiding with the brains. As to why he didn't die, Joker Armor.

The question, whose is better, ours or his? Probably his, but let's see what we can do. Joker's weakness is aside from Harley, he's got no true loyalists. Us, that's our trump.

>>43261994
I disagree, Brock seems to hate the old man about as much as the old man hates Bats. Just because we don't live doesn't mean it isn't a good end.

>>43262159
Its our trump to get things moving still, but don't rely on it when hes in the room.

Joker works on charisma and enforcing his control. Everything needs to be set to happen before he arrives.

>>43262187
Brock fears him, hate has hardly come into it at all.

>>43262211
Not necessarily. In all the past threads Brock moved for two things. To protect, and for spite.
He's always been more worried about the 'family' than death. At least after the Miss Gotham thing.
Or do you want him to go out of this all talk?
He's not the weakest thing in Gotham, that belongs to the original.

>>43262353
I think your talking hot air frankly.

He has moved to protect and spite yes, but also done stupid shit for other reasons. I would not wittle down his entire character to that.

Worried about family has been constant write ins, fine, agreed that its a motivation point.

There is no talk to go back on, everyone knows that the joker is after HIM specifically, and where they stand is entierly independant. As far as they know, the joker could just walk back in and carry on as if fuck all had happened.

Weakest thing in gotham is your hot air.

File: Merrymaker-001.jpg (278 KB, 482x775)

278 KB JPG

>>43261958

Behind him stands four people. One is a "Hobo clown" with blue facepaint. Beside him is a huge fat woman dressed in blue overalls and clown paint. Next, a middle-aged man with graying hair in a medical coat. His grin is missing a tooth or two, and he wears a clown nose. And finally, a young man with a mohawk stands nervously nearby. The flesh around his mouth has been torn off and scarred.

"Well then," says the Joker. "I've been just ITCHING to get back out there. My public awaits, gentlemen. Let's paint the town green!"


Back at the Ace Plant, your people start arriving.

Mitchell is first. "Did you see him?!" he asks excitedly. "The Moth!"

"I saw him," you tell him. "He got the drop on Batman."

"CLASSIC Moth," says Mitchell. "Everybody's always sayin' he's weak or somethin', just because Batman beat him once or twice. Guy's gotta be a monster to even go head-to-head against the Bat at all, don't he? An' how many more times has Joker gone down to Batman? Exactly," he says proudly. "Er... The other Joker, I mean."

"I feel like I've been replaced," you say with a smile.

"Hey, like I said- you an' me are still partners, Joker. Moth's just my Sensei."

Soon after, The Carpenter arrives. "Got held up at the Arkham job," she says. "That doesn't count as me being late, either. You already got me on a job, so no discounts."

Dekker shows up afterwards, giving you a curt greeting. Finally, Nightjar enters with the Twins.

She is beaming. "Good show out there, Joker! Penguin is VERY pleased. The lounge is opening again soon. He said he'd like you to come as a guest. No..." she circles her face with her finger. "...None of... all this, though. We want the man behind the monster. So!" She walks to a meeting table that has been set up. As she does, one of the twins immediately pulls out her chair for her. She sits down. "Thank you, Lefty. Now, Joker, what can we help you with?"

>wat do

>>43262424
The thing is, he might not be after him specifically. You've got this other guy sitting around and messing with your guys heads for months. All these dangerous ideas just laying around, best to root them out one way or the other. You know?

>>43262424
Fine, second to Gaggy if we look at his overall character history.

>>43262530
Not really?
Joker was prodding us and prepping us well in advance to do what he needed, and he was in a great position to watch and analyze us. This band of little psychopaths have been entierly predictable to him for a long time, and he Will know our perchance for making allies, but is sure (and rightly so) that he can wave his dick and said allianced will evaporate like water out of fear.

>>43262427
Goals:

We know they wont fight beside us, so we are asking they help us prep an escape ploy, a show for the old man ultimately ending in our demise.

The old man is betting we fight, and so we should, to keep up apperances, but we need to force a conclusion on our terms and grounds, and we need our little gang to be dispersed enough that the joker does not even think of hitting them to get back at us when we deny him his present.

Ultimately we need to draw the bat in to take his attention not to think too hard when we do the fake death. (Maybe fake dying to joker gas?)

>>43261445
>>43261958
>>43262427

>fug

>>43262427
"Your mistake is thinking this comes off even if I'm not in it at this point."
>Explain the thing with the money Tophat couldn't run off with going to Day thanks to the original.
>Apologize if need be
I'm going to need a hand with what's coming.
Mitchell, I'm going to need something that causes anaphylaxis. Strongest you got.
You can't just immune yourself to the body's natural response to something like that.
Carpenter, an articulated ceramic hand and with a bomb in it I can lock the fingers into position on with an at-will switch if you would please. Forearm prefered, something I can ditch. And ceramics work as shrapnel that insulates.
Nocturna, Dot's going to need some scouts probably. And other things, that'd be where you come in Dekker. You're on advisement and detective work.

You guys understand that if we want to beat him or take him with us we really can't do fear. Right?

>>43262828

>What's this hand for?

>>43262669
No, Duela knows. That's the worst possible option. Joker knows we gassed ourselves and walked out fine from the stadium as well.

>>43262908
Grabbing, holding. Jamming a knife in the old man's neck and then blowing the hand. Oughta tear the knife straight through one way or the other if we go deep enough.

>>43262938
Ah this is true on the gas part.
We will have to fake death another way then.

>>43262905
joker wants a fight. He wants to have some fun, make a point and then burn everything to the ground (so long as it does not ruin the joke).

>>43262427
Maybe inquire about setting up a plastic surgeon for after we do our final little gig. It might not amount to much, but it could buy us much needed time until Mr J cools off.

>>43262987
Also getting out of handcuffs if needed.

>>43262987

>is it a prosthetic, or just a thing you hold?

>>43263045
Whichever way is the least conspicuous, but we need to be able to lock it, ditch it and blow it in a hurry. Like a knife fight.

>>43263199

>i just need to know if you're planning to cut your arm off.

>>43263215
>just a thing you hold?
i dont want to cut off our arm

>>43263215
Not likely, but hell if she can set it up so we don't lose functionality then maybe.

>>43263215
Make it a wearable.
Just make sure we wear not restrictive gloves.
Problem solved.

>>43263238
Would make a good way to prevent two of a kind deals! But the scarring probably helps that too.

>>43263300
That would make ditching it while locked in place impossible, no.

>>43263335
Howso?
Have the thing be held on the arm via straps, but the forward grip be lockable.
Doesnt have to survive long, just long enough for us to clear its blast radius.

File: DC16c.jpg (80 KB, 620x309)

80 KB JPG

>>43262427

"I need to ask you all something," you say.

"You won't fight beside me; I know that. I won't ask you to. All I'm asking is for you to lend me a hand, and maybe help me put on a show."

They look confused.

"...Why?" asks Nightjar. "There's nothing to worry about now. I mean, knowing you I'm certain someone will be tearing up the city in a day or two, of course, but-"

"The Joker's back," you tell them.

"Goodbye," says Dekker, turning to leave.

"Just hold on a second, Quilt. Look, I've already got a corpse, and I was struck by lightning last night. We just need to make it look like I got killed, and it's Irons that's the one in hiding.

Then we can just draw in the Bat."

"Goodbye," says Dekker, again trying to hurry away.

"Dekker, you dick! Come on! The Bat can keep Joker's attention, and he won't think too hard about me. All I need you for is some detective work," you say.

"You want me to go prying into the Joker's business?" he asks.

"All you've got to do is look around. If you see anything, call. That's it."

"Do you realize how expensive this is going to be?" he asks. "Are you sure you can afford it?"

"I'll pay, Dekker. I'll pay all of you. Mitchell, I need some more of your anaphylactic condiments. The strongest you've got. I don't think you can be immune to immune responses, so we may be able to hit him with that.

Carpenter, I need some fortifications on this place. Heavy duty ones. Military stuff, if you can get it. Lots of ventilation, too. And do you know anybody who is any good with props? I've got a little something in mind."

"I know some guys. What're you looking for?"

"A mechanical hand, made of ceramics, with an explosive inside. And a locking mechanism for the fingers. Got anybody who can do that?"

"I got a materials guy," she says, "and an animatronics guy, and an explosive guy. Whole deal will probably take about a week."

>>43263388
The straps man and fingers. We need to be able to get out of it in a flash. With our hands occupied if needed. And we need it to look like a hand to make it believable till we ditch.

so what are we going to do after this is all over, find another villain to substitute for?

>>43263528
>One A.M. in Gotham - The Penguin

>>43263476
Think of that one episode of the Animated Series. Harley had a fake enough one if fooled Bats and she slipped right out of it to get out of the Batmobile, where she was handcuffed to the shift.

>>43263434
I'm also going to need some blast proof and fire proof IR/Nightvision cameras set up in the sewers around this place.

>>43263689
With her fingers straight. We need to be able to ditch this while it's locked on a knife hilt if we want to use it to rip and tear. Which is the point.

File: penguin_girl_cosplay_by_n(...).jpg (157 KB, 900x1200)

157 KB JPG

>>43263434
"Thank you, Miss Duffey. If you would help me get in touch with them, I'll be able to explain the details further."

"I figure you've not got a budget on these fortifications?" she asks.

"Spare no expense," you tell her. "And I'll be needing a lot of cameras, too. IR and Nightvision."

She agrees, and goes off to start taking measurements.

Nightjar is sitting at the table, looking down. "We have a man in the coroner's office," she says. "I can have the body sent over and reported as being yours." She looks up at you. "I said 'I,' Joker. Not Mister Cobblepot. This will be going behind his back. He won't be liable for this."

"Thank you, Nightjar," you tell her. "I know how hard it must be for you, trying to give your loyalty to two people."

"I seem to have become a professional at it," she says tiredly. "And it always gets me into trouble."

"Not this time, Nightjar. Not if I can help it."

She sighs. "Of course, Joker," she says. She gets up, and they leave.

>>43263528
I think it would be cool if Brock ended up in suicide squad for a sequel quest. It would allow for plenty of heists and other "impossoble' missions, and also have a chance at a sort of redemption subplot.

Or create his own villain identity.

Doctor Z! Specializes in utilizing z-list villains to their fullest potential!

>>43263646
>Implying if Brock winds up in a new series it won't be Midnight in Gotham: League of Clowns
>Or Midnight in Gotham: City of Fools
We Red Hood now, but if it did happen I wouldn't be opposed to keeping the mantle. Or you know, our own circus themed identity. I don't mind the idea of claiming the Joker as our own if we live or get rez'd though.

File: gotham-map.jpg.800x0_q85_crop.jpg (889 KB, 800x1591)

889 KB JPG

>>43263857

While you complete work on your fortifications, across town, the river starts to boil. Then, it starts to foam. Bubbles rise over the bridges that join the islands.

Soap bubbles.

From the depths of the river rises a yellow submarine, shaped like a duck. The Joker steps out of it, cackling like a madman. Well, like himself. He charges the enormous duckie into the bridge as its mouth opens. A missile fires out at the bridge, and it buckles, just in time for the duck to pass through.

The Joker does a lap around the city. By the time he's finished, bubbles are washing up over the docks all over the city.

And nothing else.

No crime, no poison. No nothing. Just a man playing with his rubber duck, albeit on a city-wide scale.


"He's got something else up his sleeves," you tell the others as you change into a second-hand set of clothes. "He may not show his cards yet, but he's already going public. That's not a good sign."

"Well, they're reportin' you dead on the news. Seems like Nygma didn't tell 'em that you killed Irons, either, so they're lookin' for him for now. Just until the DNA tests go through, though."

"We'll need to get Batman stirred up soon, then," you tell him.

"An' you're sure about goin' over to Duela's?"

"Best way I can keep an eye on her," you tell him. "I'm just worried about you guys."

"Well, like you said, Joker's out havin' his bath, so he might not come by tonight. MIGHT not." He hands you a burner phone. "I got the number to this, but my number ain't saved on it. We need you, I'll call. If somebody gets it, they won't be able to get back to us. Deal?"

"Good thinking, D," you say as you start to leave. Outside, you go to get into a car, and someone steps out of the shadows to stop you. It's Dot.

"Watch yourself out there. I coulda killed ya just now," she says.

"You were hiding. Joker would want me to know first."

She nods. "Alright, fair. Jus'... watch it." She bumps you on the shoulder with a fist, and goes back inside.

>YFW between the smilex, whatever was left from Brock's body processing it and the lightning strike and the interactions therein he is in fact some sort of metahuman now.
I mean given Irons' comments about our blood on the boat...
Who knows what we are? Outside of Schrodinger's Clown I mean.

>>43264422
Please tell me we set up bombs and whatnots in the sewer. That was half of the point of the cameras. Interception. Best part? Fire'll be on for a bit but that just means bodies'll register as cool.

File: IMG_2477.jpg (210 KB, 695x900)

210 KB JPG

>>43264422

Across town, you arrive at the Axis Chemical Plant. It is MUCH nicer than the Ace Plant, and much newer. Many of the windows aren't even broken.

"It seems like half the factories in this city are abandoned..." you think to yourself. "No wonder there are so many criminals. There's no other jobs left."

You walk past a few men talking at the entrance, giving them a nod of greeting as you enter. They seem unconcerned by the presence of another clown-paint wearing freak. You enter the plant.

Inside, it seems like Duela has encouraged Joker-themed graffiti on every surface- by punishment of death, most likely. Everything is some shade of green or purple, and covered with card suits, clowns, and strange grotesque cartoons. In some of the dark corridors, the lights have been replaced with blacklights, and glowing horrors grin from the walls.

A pang of jealousy hits you. "This... is a good lair," you admit.

>wat do?

>>43264833
Blend, scope things out, the usual.

>>43264833
Weirdly might mean lending a hand somewhere's. Good thing we can do subtle.

>>43264833
Either way we might need to be kinda quick about it. Checking on Duela is kinda priority, still, if we have the hand...might be other uses for being here.

File: tumblr_m7vo3eZbLz1qdupm6o1_500.jpg (114 KB, 500x443)

114 KB JPG

>>43264833

You try to blend into the group, and see what's going on. It seems like business as usual. Which is abnormal for Duela- normally you'd figure she would be out making speeches or twirling her figurative moustache.

"Hey cheif, you seen the Boss around?" you ask one of the men.

"Been up in her room since last night," says the man. "Think she's poutin' because there's no more fighting going on. Even the other guy's out doin' somethin'. Normally she'd have been rarin' to chase after him as soon as she heard." He shrugs. "Whatever, though. Long as she ain't mad, we're good."

It seems that the men here don't know the Joker is back yet. They think he is you. You look around the plant, trying to find where she could be- then you spot it. Up some stairs and across a platform, there is a suspended observation office above the factory floor. Purple curtains hang over the windows. There's no way that's not where she's nesting.

You head to her office, and knock on the door.

"Go away!" she says. You hear a gunshot and a hole blows through the door.

"Uh... I got something for you, Boss," you tell her.

You hear a shuffling inside, and she cracks the door.

"...What is it?" she asks, trying to act like she doesn't care. Even in the midst of an apparent mental breakdown, she can't resist the allure of presents.

"...Information, Boss. Joker's messing around in town. He's not attacking anybody. The news said he was dead, but you know how death goes. They think the Fed guy is still out there."

"Why are you calling me boss?" she asks.

"Uhhh...."

"I'm not stupid." She opens the door and waves you in. You enter and she closes the door behind you.

The girl's face is unpainted and her hair is a mess. She's wearing one of the black Joker T-Shirts you had Spike sell online under a green robe.

"You faked your death again?" she asks, flopping onto a four-poster bed that's much too big for the office. The drop ceiling has been lifted to let the posts stick up through.

>>43265475
Compliment her on the place, at least. She's done a good job of that.

File: 7574243038_6bdf515327.jpg (122 KB, 333x500)

122 KB JPG

>>43265475

"Yeah, used Irons's corpse. Figured I could get Batman on the Old Man," you tell her. "Why? Think he won't fall for it?"

"'Course not. Batman won't either, but he'll get mad about us killing Irons. Probably out chasing Joker now, though," she says. "He never chased us..." she says, staring at the ceiling.

"He chased me a few times," you remind her. "He even choked me once."

She holds a pillow over her face and screams into it.

"...Alright, sorry..." you say. "So... uh, what are you doing in here?"

You notice the office trashcans are all filled with empty food containers and candy boxes.

"Nothing," she says.

"...And what are you planning on doing?"

"Same thing," she says.

"Duela, what did you do before you thought you were the Joker's Daughter?" you ask.

"I was in an asylum. What do you think I did?" she says. "But before that," she spreads her arms wide to indicate the room around you. "THIS."

You have to laugh.

"...You were a shut in? And then you decided to become a mass murderer?"

"I just hadn't found my calling," she insists. Then she stops herself. "No, wait. That's right. I went under hypnotherapy by the Arkham Doctors. They erased my past. They just couldn't come up with anything better..."

You watch as the girl tries to invent a new reality. You interrupt her.

"Duela, are you WILLING to do anything against the Joker? Because he's coming after me, and I'm sure he's coming after you. Remember all our talks?"

"Yeah, yeah. I can live without another of your speeches." She sits up. She starts to think. "What if... the new Joker is the impostor? Or maybe he's being mind controlled?"

From everything you know about Duela, you know that she needs a some kind of elaborate narrative reason for doing what she does, even when she has to make it up. She's lied to herself so many times, you doubt she can even recognize which ones are the lies and which aren't.

"That... could be, I suppose," you tell her. "Stranger things have happened."

>>43265475
I've honestly got nothing for this. This is a bad spot to be, which is why I didn't want to come here.
But since she knows, might try passing it off anyway. "I don't know what you're talking about, you just haven't seemed yourself lately."
"Thought you could use cheering up. Not sure how though."
>Not sure if resist the urge to ask why she bothered dropping us off
>If she presses just be like "well, now everyone's after my head, where would you go? We both know he's been messing around in your skull, and I don't much approve. I mean you snapped then he puppeted you around."
"You don't have to be that."
>Maybe hand her a Joker card.
"This is your card too you know, what you do with it is your business. Any face or value. It's yours to decide. If I have to wear a different face to look out for you sis, I don't mind it."
"Was it all just the set-up for him coming to kill me then? Or did you just not want me to die there?"

>>43265977
Agreed, damn this for not being up when I posted my thing. Sorry guys.

>>43265977
"For what it's worth, I'll give you that you're way better at lair decoration than me. Between all the electro-shock, bleeding out and overdoses I just can't seem to find the time to try my hand at it."

>>43266056
Mh, to be fair, this is all pretty good stuff.

I mean, just. Wow. Bitch is fuuuucked up in ways I had no idea about.

I'm honestly glad we didn't kill her. Just. Fuck.

>>43266056
"You know, regardless of who you were."

File: Harlequin.jpg (68 KB, 320x390)

68 KB JPG

>>43265977

"Everyone's after my head. Where would you go? We both know he's been messing around in your skull, and I don't much approve. I mean you snapped then he puppeted you around," you tell her.

"He was right," she says. "There was no mind tricks. You just don't shoot the Joker. Things just don't work like that."

"Duela, they CAN, though," you tell her. "So... why did you leave me at the plant? Was it all just the set-up for him coming to kill me then? Or did you just not want me to die there?"

"You got yourself struck by lightning you moron. What else was I supposed to do? I wasn't bringing you here. You won't let me stay at your place anymore, so you can't stay here."

"You could have turned me over to the Joker," you tell her. You sort of regret suggesting it after it comes out, though.

She crosses her arms. "Not while he's being like THAT I won't."

Listen, Duela. You aren't just his lackey. You don't have to be that." From your pocket, you draw a Joker card, and hand it to her. "This is your card too, you know. What you do with it is your business. Any face or value. It's yours to decide. If I have to wear a different face to look out for you sis, I don't mind it."

"UGGGGGGH," she says, rolling on the bed in frustration. "You and your cards and speeches. Just tell me what you want to do before I gas myself.

"I'm fortifying the plant," you tell her. "The Carpenter's been there all day. Bombs, cameras, armor, the whole nine yards."

"I yelled at a guy until he brought me takeout."

"Good girl. With that kind of forward thinking, both of us are sure to get through this. For what it's worth, I'll give you that you're way better at lair decoration than me. Between all the electro-shock, bleeding out and overdoses I just can't seem to find the time to try my hand at it."

"Image is everything," she tells you. "Better to do nothing and have a scary lair than blow up a city and live in a cheap apartment."

You keep silent about your time in the apartment.

File: Rodney_Spurman_(Prime_Earth).jpg (74 KB, 784x288)

74 KB JPG

>>43266385

You hear a disturbance downstairs. Duela walks over to the window, irritated, and opens it.

The plant is on fire.

"Ohhh.... shit," says Duela.

You head out of the room and pull out your gun- a normal one this time. You try to keep down while you look out for threats.

A man in a bird-like mask and black coat steps through the flames. "Where aaare you, Little Princess?" says the man. "Daddy misses you."

You shoot at him without calling out to him. You don't care who he is.

The flames blur his sillouette, and the coat makes him look bigger than he is. You put a couple of holes in his coat, and manage to plug him in the shoulder, but don't hit any vitals. He hisses, and points at you. "Torch!"

Another man, this one with a mowhawk, blindsides you with a flamethrower. You feel the heat from the blast of flame that passes near you, but manage to fall back just being singed. You see that the man has an inhuman, skeletal grin- the meat has been torn from his lower jaw.

You drop onto the stairway and shoot at the Torch. You manage to clip the hose of his flamethrower. Immediately, he raises it to his face and puffs out the pilot light on the flamethrower. He drops the weapon from his back and rushes you.

Duela steps out of her bedroom and shoots at the man with a submachine gun. Bullets plink off of the stairs around the man- and around you. She realizes what she's doing in a moment and stops, running down the stairs with a bag in her other hand. You kick The Torch in the chest, and he falls back. The two of you try to head out of the back exit.

There, however, you see a man dressed like a dentist, save for his poor teeth and clown nose. He revs a power drill at you and laughs. You start to rush him, but stop- he's also scattered the floor of the room with chattering teeth. You're sure of what will happen if the two of you step in any farther, but the man can't step out.

>>43266951
Survey surroundings, maybe a chemline we can cut and spray the fucks down with? Maybe the gas from our smilex lite grenades is flammable?

>>43266951
There's gotta be a way to win here.

>>43267066
..wait. Grenades in general. Joker's never once immunized his boys against his own shit before. If the fucker ain't wearing a mask...

>>43266951
If we can cut a chemline or something we could use the fluid pressure or whatever to knock the teeth back at thr dentist guy.

>>43266951
Duela. Shoot the guy with the flamethrower.

File: 2856385-screen_shot_2013_(...).png (207 KB, 320x320)

207 KB PNG

>>43266951
"This way," says Duela, pulling you back through a breakroom to a door used by Smokers.

As you enter the room, though, you smell a deep metallic smell. Both of you know what it is.

You see a massive shadow inside, and hear heavy chopping You hear an old woman muttering inside. Behind you, the bird-masked man and The Torch come up behind you.

"I am the Merrymaker, and we are the League of Smiles. The Joker sent us to entertain you. Tonight he wants his Princess-" he points at Duela. "He's not ready for you yet," he says to you.

Somehow, he knows your face.

You reach beneath your outfit and pull out a pair of small gas grenade- the only ones you brought, just for emergencies. You toss one towards the Merrymaker, and another into the room behind you. You hear a grunt behind you- you're shocked to see that another clown, this one with blue facepaint, is holding a bat over his head. He drops it as the gas begins flooding his lungs. He starts laughing.

...And so does Duela. "Shit," you say, remembering you never inoculated her. You heave her under your arm and haul her through the next room. You see a huge, horrifying woman doubled over with laughter covered in blood, chopped up men all around her.

You also understand what Dot meant when she said she dislocated her arm lifting Duela.

The Merrymaker storms down the hall towards you as you exit the building. You slam it in his face, and hear him cursing on the other side.

You heave your laughing "little sister" towards your car, and toss her in the back. Just as you start to drive away, you see the Merrymaker open the door to the plant and glare at you through his bird mask, the nose bent at a funny angle where the door slammed on it.

Gradually, Duela calms herself. You escape, and drive back to the plant.

>>43267367
>Missing an opportunity for a "No, he wouldn't be."
Damn it Brock, that's not how you super-anything. We're better than that. Right?

>>43267367
So, to do list: Get some of the GOOD grenades, as we now know J did, in fact, keep to his standard ops.

Also, give sister dearest her meds.

I think she's on board, now. Both because she's convinced herself OG is a fake, and because he undeniably just tried to top her. Without style, without grace. Just burn her.

That, more then anything, should make her pissed.

League of Smiles, that bastard.

Do we try to out-panache him on this?

>>43267539
Also, we did kinda just save her life while she's got proof that whoever this other "Joker" is, he wants her dead.
We're at least kinda "meh" on the subject of killing her because she's fun.

>>43267641
While that would be nice, primary is survival for us and our group. And WE are secondary to the group.

We gave our word on that.

>>43267641
Not right at the moment, after we get home maybe and have a good 30 seconds to process this shit out maybe.

>>43267673
Yup, multiple times even.

>>43267539
Obviously we care more. We set up a race-course, helped her sideswipe the Bat-Man, conceded and even gave her a smilex victory toast at the end as a "going away present" at the end.
Sure, it was a gag gift but still.

>Meanwhile Merrymaker has to go explain that the entire League of Smiles got punked by Junior.
That or it was a ruse to get Duela in, but I suppose time will tell.

>>43267905
Not even Junior and his men, just...Brock really.

File: IMG_2404.jpg (40 KB, 225x224)

40 KB JPG

>>43267367

Back at the Toy Factory, the Joker is tinkering with another gimmick for a scheme.

"Mister Joker..." says the Merrymaker, taking a knee and bowing in deference. "We failed you. She escaped."

"Oh, sorry to hear that," he says absent-mindedly.

The Merrymaker rushes to continue. "She was with the other one, though. Please, Joker- Give us another chance!"

"Sure, knock yourself out," he says, moving a component this way and that, then looking at the result.

"Thank you, Joker. We won't let you down again. I swear. We'll have her here by tomorrow night."

"Uh huh. Say, does this look crooked to you, Mary?"


Back at the Chemical Plant, you give your little sister her meds.

You talk to the others. "I know why Joker didn't attack here- he's just sending men after us. Guys called themselves the 'League of Smiles.' Ever hear of 'em?"

They shrug.

"Buncha Joker worshipin' psychos. Heard their boss got taken in, though. Never been much of an issue," says Dwayne.

"Well, now they are very much an issue. Duela- this 'Joker' just tried to top you. With zero style, and zero grace. He just tried to kill you, like you were just a Henchman. Or worse," you say. "Like you were a just a civilian."

She grinds her teeth.

"They wanted you, and they said they were coming for me. Is that enough to convince you? I mean, when I was trying to kill you I at least made it fun."

>>43267971
You know, these League of Smiles guys...we might be able to use them.
If they were to wreck up, say, the Ice Berg looking for us...I mean, all we'd be doing is accepting an invitation. Penguin might get a touch mad at us, but it's not like WE let them off the leash.
He'd have to respond somehow. And not really to us.
This whole thing started with a no-sides gang war. If we can point it at -that- guy...
Maybe we can end it with one too. Just depends I guess.

File: boner_3.gif (74 KB, 302x357)

74 KB GIF

>>43267971

"Look, I get the picture," she says. "I'm in, okay? You don't have to keep rubbin' it in."

"Well Boss, it's gonna be a couple days 'till the fortifications are finished," says Dwayne. "We'll have to keep watch. Don't know when they might hit again."

"Then do it," you tell him. "Has Nocturna gotten here yet?"

He nods. "I explained things to her. No Harvey yet, though."

You go to meet Nocturna.

"Nocturna, I need spies. I know you can't keep control permanently, but could you interrogate people you happen to come by? Just ask if they've seen Joker, then have them forget."

She agrees.

"You're worried about this, aren't you?" she says.

"Of course I am. He's..."

"Unpredictable," she says. Just remember that. You can't treat him like a regular enemy. The Joker isn't just some rival gang leader. He's... more of a force."

"You sound like Duela," you say.

"I know what I'm talking about," she says as she leaves.


Dot takes you aside. "Sendin' mercs after you? That don't seem like his style. Sure he was tryin' to kill you?"

"Positive," you say. "They were torching the place, and sealing off exits. Luckily Joker doesn't care about his men, so I was able to gas them. They aren't immune like you guys."

"Then what now?" she asks. "You gotta have somethin' planned, right?"

>wat do

>>43268477
Well, it's best to not ignore advice right now.

...also, I dunno. The wording was funny. "Wants his princess." Not wants her dead, although that seems a logical followup. Maybe was just collecting to kill us on stage or something? One by one.

..no need to tell sister dear it was possibly more theatrical, that's no good, though.

For now...hm. Have sentries set up. And....hm. Joker OG used to use this plant, didn't he? We. May want to start checking for secret passages. Last we need is his ass getting in via a backdoor and skipping all our fun surprises.

>>43268477
>Maybe explain that they might be able to force Penguin's hand into aiding Brock whether or not he'd rather stay out of it.
"You up for a date slash cloak and dagger night? We'd have to find someone for Duela though."
"We'll be armed of course."

>>43268623
Ageed. Mostly.

>>43268476
>>43268656
I was talking about this.
Thoughts guys?

>>43268714
It's. Risky. But...might be the right sort of risk.

Not certain how it might work. Might backfire if Ozzie decides we're trying to make him choose a side by showing up at his place (Even if it is "just to have a night out") Pretty sure since Iceberg's legit, they've got a strict No Clowns policy.

Joker's lack of concern in the background concerns me even more. I think his playmates are a distraction while he puts together a masterpiece to wipe us out.

>>43268780
So it's agreed Mitchell is Duela's date right? It's either him or Dwayne but we need him and Coal and whoever else here.

>>43268872
That sounds accurate but in the meantime, we need to do something about these guys. We also need Coal to get together a ton of anaesthetic strong enough to knock out an elephant. We should also maybe lo-jack ourselves in case we get caught by pops.
That way if we get caught, her and the guys can flood the place and pick folks off.
Also so far we've had a habit of -not- screwing Penguin over. It'd be weird to assume we're trying to make him pick sides. And bizarre for us to since we know how he is. It's an honest mistake.
Nightjar extended an invitation on Penguin's behalf.

File: IMG_2584.png (414 KB, 524x941)

414 KB PNG

>okay, hang on. I have to do some rewriting. I thought you guys were planning to disguise yourselves as the League and raid the Iceberg yourselves. I get the idea now.

>>43268872
>>43269002
If it makes you feel any better we can be legitimately sorry about it after the fact.

>>43269069


Oh, that's not my concern at all. I just don't want to unduly tick off Pengers and/or Nightjar and lose what little support we can get from that quarter.

If it was just my lonesome, I'd already be sounding the hard retreat while figuring out my fallback options (If I didn't know that J-Classic wanted to keep me on. But since I know he never, ever keeps pretenders around...) but since people are damned determined to fight this out and make sure our buddies come out the other side, might as well put my noggin to thinking a couple moves ahead.

>Maybe get a new suit for the ocassion.
White blazer and trousers with the orange bowtie on a magenta shirt?
If anybody asks I suppose a nihilistic comment about it being a collaborative art project in progress might not be out of order.
(What with the blood stains and all, ours or our adversaries time will tell)

>>43269209
That's the thing. I don't think just flat running will do us a lick of good.

If I thought it would? I'd be all for it. But...this feels like a problem that'll follow us, no matter where we go.

File: IMG_2444.jpg (91 KB, 376x507)

91 KB JPG

>>43268477

>>43268477

"We might be able to use this League of Smiles," you tell Dot. "If they were to wreck up the Iceberg again this close to reopening looking for us, then he'd have to respond. He might be mad that he got caught in the middle, but we didn't let them off their leashes."

"You tryin' to force Penguin's hand?" says Dot.

"We just go to the Iceberg, and maybe let people know it. The League comes and messes with us, and they make an enemy of Cobblepot. What do you say, you up for a little cloak-and-dagger date night?" you ask her. "We can double with Duela and Mitchell."

"Could work," she says. "He won't move against Joker, but he might move against the League. They've worked on their own in the past; they're not technically Joker's men, so they're fair game."

"Nocturna told me that Joker was 'Unpredictable,' and warned me not to treat him like other enemies."

Dot nods. "She's right. Joker won't fight you. He makes sure he's already got the game won before he sits down. That's why I warned you not to try him."

"It's too late now," you say. "The Joker used this place as a base, right? We need to check for secret passages. The last place had loads of 'em. Holly kept sneaking into my bedroom with them."

"Wait," says Dot. "She did what?"

"Nothing," you say hastily. "For now, let's go visit Penguin."

You tell Duela of the plan.

"Do you have any clothes?" you ask. "I'm not sure a T-shirt and robe are going to go over well at the Iceberg."

She pats her bag. "You mean REAL clothes, or civvie clothes?"

"Nothing that would fit in at a circuis. Regular going-out clothes."

"Then no. I don't 'go out,'" she says, making quotation marks in the air around the words. "And who is this guy you're making me go with?"

"You'll love him," you say. "He's a chef."

>>43269209
That's cool, that's basically my intent here as well, just different approaches I guess. I still think we should lo-jack us, and Duela.

>>43269306

Yah, I agree with you there, just a nice thought to think we can take off and leave the crazy behind. We're well and stuck in it now though.

>>43269318
Who the hell is that chick in the background of that picture, christ alive

>>43269318
ITS TIME.

So obviously we need a counter plan that trumps his whatever it is.
Which means we have to figure out what we'd do if we were more of a dick. And either counter it. Or come up with one that basically 'third option's the shit out of whatever.

>>43269501
It's Joker. There's no planning ahead for him.

There's just hoping you can think very, very fast on your feet.

>>43269614
We started out real shit at that.
Luckily we've also gotten really good at rolling with whatever and making it work.

File: 1192211-bop_cv3_02_zps0295ca00.jpg (185 KB, 594x902)

185 KB JPG

>>43269318

You call Mitchell. "Mitchell, how would you like to go out for a night on the town? I need someone to take my sister out."

"...Is, uh, is this a trick or somethin', Partner?"

"No tricks, Mitchell. I would like you to go on a date with my sister. I'll pay."

"You really have cracked, ain't you?"


On the way to pick up Mitchell, you all break into a department store and try to find something presentable to wear. The girls get standard black dresses, and yourself a white suit. You keep your orange bow-tie, however.

All three green-haired young people go out on the town.


You pick up Mitchell, who is a surprisingly normal-looking young man of about your age with dark hair. He still smells like vinegar.

"Duela, this is your date. Mitchell Mayo, the Condiment King." He makes a gun with his finger and points it at her, then winks.

"If you touch me, I'll cut your hands off."

"Yeah, I got that effect on dames," he says smoothly.


The four of you go to the Iceberg Lounge. "Spike's putting out word that we're going to be at the Lounge tonight," you tell the others. "If the League is paying attention, they should come running."

"Now who is the 'League?' asks Mitchell.

"Joker's hired assassins. We're luring them to the Iceberg Lounge so they'll torch the place and start a gang war," says Dot.

"NOW I see why you wanted me to go out with this one."


You step up to the bouncer. He doesn't even have to check the list; he lets you through. Inside you see Lark at the hostess's podium. She points you to a booth in the back.

File: iceberg-lounge-136776.jpg (236 KB, 1509x500)

236 KB JPG

>>43269649

Though the Lounge is not officially reopened, a few of the special patrons have been invited back. In it's full splendor you have to admit, the place is impressive, with multiple stories with glass railings, a giant pool in the center. And in it, sits a giant iceberg (mostly plastic, according to The Carpenter.) Live penguins waddle about and swim in the waters. Nestled in the heart of the iceberg is a stage, and around the pool is a dancefloor.

A quiet jazz band plays on the stage, a female dancer making wordless vocalizations into the mic.

You head to the dark booth in the back and find Nightjar. She welcomes you. "Welcome! I'm glad you could come by and see the place when it's in good condition. In a few nights, we'll be back to full occupancy. THEN you can see what Mister Cobblepot can really do. This place is practically more important than city hall," she says proudly.

She notices your suit. "Ah... White. After Labor Day. Always the joker, eh Joker?" She tries to laugh it off, but you can tell she's genuinely bothered by it.

"I figured if I got in a fight, I could get myself a red suit for free," you tell her.

"You could also just... buy a red one," she suggests.

"What can I say? I like to put a little of myself in my things. Or a 'whole lot' of 'other people,' in this case," you tell her with a smile.

"Yes... Very good. Did... uh..." she sniffs. "Do you have a leaking grenade?"

"That's Mayo," says Duela bitterly. She's sitting next to him.

"Smells more like vinegar," she says. "Mister Cobblepot will be over soon," she assures you. "He's got some other business right now. To tell the truth we didn't expect you so soon. And I didn't expect..."

She eyes you and Dottie, and gives you a little smile. "Let me order you all some drinks. Tonight we don't need to discuss business. Other than... well, I'm sure you saw that our arrangement was carried out? I hope it was to your liking." She flags down one of the hostesses. Jay, you think.

>>43269961
"Yeah, I was genuinely surprised.
That was...way faster than I thought it'd be. How're things?"

File: 63TheIcebergLounge.png (665 KB, 1278x500)

665 KB PNG

>>43269961

"Yeah, I was genuinely surprised. That was...way faster than I thought it'd be. How're things?"

She motions towards the lounge. "Getting better all the time, Joker."

Four of you try your best to have a genuinely nice time. Only Duela seems determined to not enjoy herself.

The whole time, though, you keep an eye on the door.

Just as you're about to suggest to the others that you call it a night, you see a man in a red and black cloak enter. The hostess stops him; the Iceberg Lounge is a neutral zone, and he's in costume. He may be bird themed, but she doesn't know him. They talk for a bit, and she puts a hand on his shoulder. The man resists, and tries to throw her. She is taken by surprise and tossed away, but catches herself. You one of the other girls hurry towards them. The other has a drink tray; she dumps the glasses on the ground, and throws it at the Merrymaker.

He has already seen you, though, and shouts orders at the others. His allies rush the entrance; this time the Torch carries a... torch. He holds it to a few curtains and wooden objects.

Nightjar stands. "Who are THEY?"

"They've been after us," you admit. "Joker's men."

"And you brought them HERE?" she shouts.

"They brought themselves. This place is supposed to be neutral, right? Nobody's supposed to attack anyone here. We just thought-"

"I KNOW what you thought," she said. "Look what you're doing to this place!"

In the back, you see a curtain pulled aside, and a long beak of a nose sticks out. Penguin waddles out into the Lounge with an umbrella at his side, takes aim, and fires. A small rocket fires from the tip, and explodes near the Merrymaker.

"OUT!" he shrieks. "OUT you barbarous buffoons! I'll not have anyone ruining my club again!" He fires another rocket at them. The League looks around themselves- cornered near the entrance, the three surprisingly strong hostesses pushing them in, and Penguin firing explosives at them.

>>43270303
That was way more honest than I intended to be about this thing.

>>43270348
yeaaaahh, I didn't want to admit it to them

>>43270348
>>43270372
A bit, yeah. Planned to be a little more daggery about it, rather then flat out admitting. We'd need to cop to something, but...not quite to THAT degree.

>>43270397
Yep

>>43270348
>>43270372
>>43270397
>>43270441
YOU RUIN EVERYTHING QM, REEEEE

>>43270455
Fuck off, it was just a miscommunication. Frankly the first one we've really had.

>>43270505
obvious joke was obvious

>>43270303
"I knew they were crazy, I didn't think they were stupid. Name one time I've ever honestly tried to screw you guys over. I'll have Duffey in to fix the damages and foot the bill. Fair?"

>>43270545
Or not if we can badger QM into a minor rewrite.

File: Iceberg_Lounge.png (208 KB, 538x219)

208 KB PNG

>>43270303
Then they notice the other waitresses around the club, each reaching into a potted plant or beneath a table to pull out automatic weapons. They realize this wasn't an ordinary nightclub.

The Merrymaker points at you, and turns, purposefully swishing his long coat behind him as he turns.

Penguin waddles over to you. "Friends of yours?" he says, angrily.

"The Joker's," you tell him. "The real one."

"The duck wasn't you, then, was it?" he asks. "Should have known. Old clown stealing my theme..." He snaps back to the topic at hand. "And he sent THEM after YOU," he prods you with the umbrella. "And YOU brought them HERE. You were trying to bait me into your little feud with HIM, you... you..."

Nightjar, who has been holding her tongue so far, exhales. "No, sir. It was my fault." He turns to her. "I invited them here tonight. After everything that's happened... I just wanted to show them what we could do. With the Lounge back up and running, and all." She talks quickly. I suppose they followed them. Joker wouldn't-"

"Joker WOULD and he DID, you birdbrain." He raps her on the head with the umbrella to chastise her. "There are things I'll stand for, but some things are off-limits, even to the Joker! Loathe as he may be to admit it." He turns to you. "Who were those?"

"'League of Smiles.' A cult, I think? Joker worshippers or something," you tell him.

"Hired help?" he asks.

"Groupies, more like," says Dot.

"Penguin, any damages- I can call in the Carpenter to fix it. I'll foot the bill," you tell him. "We'll have it fixed before opening."

He nods. "Alright," he says, eyeing you. "You all... have a safe trip. Home. Now," he says. He waddles away.

You turn to Nightjar. "Nightjar, you just-"

She throws her hands up. "I KNOW. Just... Go. I'll call you if I hear anything else. Just... For now, I need you to go. Please."

"Thank you, Nightjar. Thank you for everything."

The four of you leave.

>>43270581
We can still fix/apologize to Penguin and say that we wanted to lure them here to talk, not to trash his newly repaired nightclub.

Again, we'd foot the bill for repairs, even ask Carpenter to help with them so he can re-open on time still. Then we get down to business.

>>43270674

>"I invited JOKER AND HIS FRIENDS here tonight. After everything that's happened... I just wanted to show them what we could do. With the Lounge back up and running, and all." She talks quickly. "I suppose THE ATTACKERS followed them. Joker wouldn't-"

I'm just saying "oh I'm hoping to drag you into a gang war with a guy you've explicitly told me you wouldn't help fight while using a friend's invitation to do it and dragging other friends along to make the whole thing seem less suspicious"
Is not a very cloak and dagger thing to say.

>>43270674
"Well that was almost fun. And now...hm. I thought for sure that'd work to get them off our backs. Should've led with the groupie angle first considering I got outted on TV."
"Guess we really have to go it alone. Or I have to go darker. One of the two, but somehow I feel like that won't ultimately help matters. On the other hand I keep on about 'any face or value', maybe I should. If nothing else for variety's sake. In the position we're in though...hm. There has to be something we can do."

>>43270674
I mean, hell, if I never left the house every time someone wanted me dead I'd never get anything done.

File: freaky_fruit_vegetables_09.jpg (30 KB, 400x258)

30 KB JPG

>>43270674

A while later, at the Toy Factory, Joker is tinkering with his machine. Merrymaker slinks back in, with his crew in tow.

"Joker..." he kneels.

"WAIT!" says Joker. Harley stands eagerly nearby.

"Let me ask you- what was my greatest crime? What was the Joker's greatest deed?"

"When... you killed Robin?" asks Merrymaker. "Or... what you did to the Commisioner?"

The Joker laughs. "HA HA HA HA! NO! The FISH, man! The laughing fish!"

Harley looks disgusted. "Yeeeah, I didn't care for that one."

"So I was thinking- how can I top that? And then it hit me!" The Joker switches on the machine and it roars to life, grinding and pumping toxic ooze in its metal bowels. The liquid is forced through a network of tubes across the room; Joker leads the group as they chase it across the warehouse. It spirals down a huge coil of piping, before culminating in a single drop of green liquid, dripped into a potted plant.

Everyone crowds around the small pot, the faces of the seven people close together. The tomatoes on the vines shrivel a bit, and curl in on themselves. Two dark spots form on each.

"Laughing vegetables," whispers the Joker. "Wait'll they get a load of this. HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!"


The drive back from the Lounge is mostly quiet. As you near Mitchell's house, though, Dot speaks up. "King, you've not been yourself tonight. You're usually more... flirty. And more grabby."

He looks over at Duela. "Ehhhhh.... I think I'm good."

You drop him off at home, then arrive back at the Chemical Plant.

"How'd it go?" asks Dwayne, as you all enter.

"Penguin is after the League," you tell him. "He's mad at us for his club being hit because of us, but Nightjar helped bail us out.

"Nightjar bailed YOU out? From PENGUIN? From losing Penguin MONEY?" he asks.

"Karlo's probably still around," suggests Coal.

"I think she might actually like us," you offer.

Dwayne laughs. "That woman ain't never liked nothin' she couldn''t spend," he says.

Are we just going to bail town, or are we going to become our own villain soon? Not dying is preferable.

>>43271120
>YFW OG Joker just accidentally pissed off Poison Ivy.
Hooray laughing vegetables?

File: Zatanna-13.jpg (45 KB, 581x850)

45 KB JPG

>>43271192
Not dying is the plan. Either bailing or becoming our own. if it comes down to it, though, as noted above, we get the gang out, us secondary.

But we're going for the golden ending if at all possible.

>>43271243
Eh, depends, but I agree it's optimal. We aren't exactly trying to "win" though are we? It seems more like we're just trying to find a way to beat him. Win or lose, as long as the gang makes it out we still get the last laugh.

File: IMG_2315.jpg (115 KB, 500x687)

115 KB JPG

>>43271120
"We offered to pay for it," you say. "We should be able to get back on his good side. He can't really hold it against us. I mean, Hell, if I never left the house every time someone wanted me dead I'd never get anything done."

"Well, while his boys are gunnin' for 'em, we got sentries all around here. Ain't nobody gettin' in here without us at least bein' alerted," says Dwayne.

"So for the night, we're safe," you say. "As safe as we can be, at least. We won't be surprised, and that's what counts."

"Right," says Dwayne. "You all rest up. Tomorrow we gotta decide what we're gonna do about all this."


You start to head up to your room, but Dot coughs. Then she coughs again- she's trying to get your attention.

"You okay, Dot?" you ask her.

"I... uh... You know. I had an alright time, I guess," she says. She hurries off to change out of the black dress.

Duela eyes you, and shakes her head mockingly.

You head up to your office, a bit embarrassed.

>>43271293

You lie in your bed for a while. Just as you're drifting off to sleep, there is a gentle knocking on the door; so quietly, that at first, you think it's something outside in the street. You rise in the dark and walk to the door.

The light reveals the window shows the shadowed figure before you, her long green hair hanging around her shoulders. She looks at you with three eyes- two from her grinning yellow eyepatch. "Hey boss," says Dot. Her raspy voice is deeper than normal, and shaky. Has she been... crying?

>wat say

>>43271307
Let her in. Don't say anything, though. Offer her a seat...and offer her your hand.

Don't make a move. She's got something she wants to say. She will. Let her.

>>43271355
I'll second everything except for the hand holding, let's not be too pushy

>>43271307
"Hey Dot...something tells me this is one of those times I need to shut up and listen before I say anything. So, what's going on?"

>>43271355
Fair enough
>>43271379
I'm going to retract my thing then if you guys want, or think it's too pushy or whatever.

>>43271377
No, no. I said OFFER. Not demand. It's her choice to take it or not.

But if you'd rather not do even that? Sure, fine with me.

>>43271405
She does have schizoid personality disorder, it might trigger something. I'm just trying to be considerate anon.

>>43271417
No, I know. That's why I thought offering, not just taking her hand would be a good middleground. Shows we do care, while at the same time allowing her the choice to ease into it or not.

>>43271435
So prompting her to talk about what's up is a no go? She's likely not great at dealing with her emotions since she's normally got muted ones.

>>43271435
Gotchu nigga, I just don't want to lose the one-eye-fu

>>43271307

"Come on in, Dot," you say. You offer her a seat next to you. She sits next to you in the dark. She seems smaller somehow, like sadness is weighing her down.

"Something tells me this is one of those times I need to shut up and listen before I say anything," you say. "So, what's going on?"

"I just...had such a good time tonight," she says. "And I know that pretty soon..." she inhales sharply, as if holding back a sob. "Pretty soon we won't..."

"Hey, Dot, not if I have anything to say about it," you smile. You don't know if she can see it in the dark.

You hold your hand out between the two of you. Not taking her hand- just offering. Without hesitating she takes your hand and holds it to her chest.

"I just wanted... Just once, I mean..."

She leans in, warily, and kisses you, putting an arm up over your shoulder.

>wat do

>>43271470
Kiss her back, fucking finally. The long game has payed off gentlemen

>>43271470
Kiss her back but dont rush anything!

>>43271470

You kiss her back. Deeply.

With only the barest pressure, Dottie pushes you down into the bed, and puts a leg over you. As you hold her, you realize that she is much softer than you'd thought. You smell her greasepaint as you kiss, and an unidentifiable sweet smell you can only assume is that of her body. Her mouth tastes of some kind of candy- not cigarettes like you'd thought. She must have been prepared for this.

>>43271470
Double check that she's sure and go with it if she insists, I guess.

>>43271495
If this is fucking Clayface I'm gonna be pissed

>>43271495

"Are you sure?"you ask.

Without a word, she peels down her jeans.

In the dark, you undo your trousers as she lowering herself onto you. You hold your hands on her hips as her thighs wrap around you, grinding as she huffs and pants like sick animal. She leans down and the two of you kiss you once again, her tongue darting between your lips. She laughs to herself softly between kisses, as you run your fingers through her long green hair.

>>43271528
If this is Duela I'm going to be pissed.

>>43271529

Her hair comes out in your hands in clumps.

She laughs even more.

And then you recognize the smell.

Coconuts.

>>43271552
God damn it.

>>43271552
god dammit op.

File: fde5d4dc50d2bfc8052e0581a(...).jpg (368 KB, 800x533)

368 KB JPG

>>43271552
You throw Duela off of you and cover yourself with the blanket. The girl falls back on the concrete floor, naked and laughing like a maniac. She rises to her hands and knees.

"Oooh, Boss, I just want to kiss you ONCE" she says in an exaggerated croaking voice. "Look what you did, Brother," she tells you with a poisonous laugh.

"What the HELL is this, Duela? Now you've decided you're jealous? You just got over wanting to kill me."

"I NEVER stopped wanting to beat you." Her makeup is smeared, and shocks of long hair hang messily from her natural short hair. She looks deranged. I don't have to kill you for that. You tried SO HARD to knock down little Dorothy's Walls of Jericho." She puts her hands behind her head and twists her body like a snake. "You just couldn't wait to slip into that Ruby Slipper, could you, Brother?

And do you know what the best part is?" she says, as she begins dressing herself. "You won't do anything to me. Because I have done nothing wrong."

>>43271564
Can we just fucking kill her now? I'm fucking done with this, OP that was low

File: 384494_3737761841684_1613(...).jpg (80 KB, 501x900)

80 KB JPG

>>43271564
"Are you crazy?! You LIED to me!"

Duela stands before you proudly, as if she's gloating over a fallen foe. "Everything we are is a lie, Brother. What's one more? The only thing I've hurt here is your feelings.

You know that you need me. Nobody else will back you against The Joker, will they? Not the Joker himself. You tricked Penguin into helping with his enforcers, but when it comes down to curtain call..."

"Harvey."

She laughs.

"Harvey wants YOU. And he can have you."

"Well let's burn that bridge when we get to it, okay?" she says with a wink, stepping out of the room. "Sweet dreams," she says. She blows you a kiss, and closes the door on you, laughing on the way.

You turn your head and vomit on the floor.

>>43271564
I fucking knew it. God damn.

>>43271588
Bad day achieved QM.

>>43271588
Boner killer

>>43271588
Well. That's a unique troll.

She's right, though. As long as she's content with just trolling, we need her. We got no idea what Big J's planning. And she actually downright hates the guy.

Enemies, close, all that.

Still....we need some way to get back at her for that.

>>43271588
Of course now Harvey won't get his chance at her until after we cut her head off.

>>43271632
we were just literally raped by our mentally ill sister. A week ago she cut one of our friends to actual literal pieces

>>43271657
I know, she'll probably brag too.

>>43271588
I feel like we should shoot her in the head now, right now. Of course that won't change what she did. But eh.

>Because I have done nothing wrong
>Everything we are is a lie, Brother. What's one more?

Duela is fucked up. Confirmed crazier than Holly

I think after that I'm just done. I've been here the whole time, but that? That one hurt.
I'd like to kill her on principle, but what does that even do? Actually it might prevent Dottie from flipping if she found out, simple as 'she raped me' if asked. But I feel like I'm just done.

>>43271791
I feel you, last issue and not a single bone was thrown our way. I still here till the end though, fuck it this story is great.

File: 1442885180873.jpg (80 KB, 540x469)

80 KB JPG

>>43271588


You don't sleep the rest of the night.

The next morning, you go downstairs to the others. "Boss," greets Dwayne. "You feelin' okay? Don't look like you slept a wink."

"It's fine, D," you lie. "Anything happen last night?"

He shakes his head. "Nothin'. Guess they decided the Iceberg was enough for one night. But this mornin'..." He shows you a news bulletin on his phone.

"JOKER POISONS CROPS" reads the headline.

"This morning, the Joker released a chemical herbicide over a number of vegetable farms upstate. The herbicide had no ill effects, but disfigured the vegetables. They have been determined to be safe for consumption, and have been graded for use in canned sauces due to their unsuitability for off-the-shelf sale," reads the article.

"...Are you kidding me?" you ask him. He shakes his head. "Old boss always did weird shit like this. Could be leadin' up to somethin', could be a red herring. Could even be he thought it was funny."

"I have no idea how to respond to that," you say. "He's not even doing anything. He's just being weird. At least other people did things that... I don't know, hurt people? Caused damage? That's something."

"'Course he's bein' weird," says Dwayne. "He's the Joker."

You walk off to find someone else.

"Mornin' boss," says Dottie. She's being abnormally cheerful. "You feelin' okay?" she asks.

"Fine, Dot. Any news?" You can't help but feel nervous around her.

"Nocturna's network ain't turned up anythin' yet," she says. "I was thinkin', maybe you an' me could go out an' just look for 'em, you know?"

"I... yeah, sure, Dot," you tell her. "Later, though? We've been putting off Duela's date with Harvey for a while now, and-"

"Listen, boss... Do we gotta?" she asks. "I mean, I know she's messed up, but I'm wonderin' how much of that is Joker, you know?"

"Yes Dot," you tell her. "We gotta. She's not our friend. We let a wild animal in here, and all she's done is bite us."

"Saved us a few times," she says. "Saved you."

>>43271863
I'm...worried that telling Dot the truth might make her flip worse.

She's got trust and intimacy issues. And, well, it wasn't her that....oh goddamnit, this whole thing is confusing and makes my head hurt.

>>43271809
Eh, I don't even see it from that perspective. Out of character I'm on break at work and catching up. I just didn't get here in time to scream "it's Duela! Bail!"
In character though, there's the rape, falling for such a cheap ploy when it wasn't unobvious and 'shit, is she right? No, I mean. I rejected Holly more than a couple times pulling the- is something like that really all it took? God, I'm awful. I swear that wasn't the point. The fuck was that? What the hell was I thinking? Guess there's nothing to do. If Dot finds out it'll look like I'm that guy regardless. Right? Maybe I'll just leave after that. Did I seriously just lose two allies over getting my dick wet when that was never actually the point? How am I going to look either in the eye?'
Rape does weird things to your head.

>>43271863
"I'll explain."

>>43271863
"She also woke me up and raped me last night."

>>43271809
We threw a bone deula's way. Ayyyy

>>43271879
>>43271891
I feel like this is killing top hat and murdering little girls: act three

>>43271863
If you'll excuse me. I'm going to go gag her and get her ready for shipping. Less bragging I hear out of that piece of shit the better."

>>43271944
Yeah. It's. Not a great situation at all. Deula's so fucked up in the head I...yes, it's all sorts of fucked up, but I don't really wanna kill her. I'm in the minority, clearly, but still. I'll go with what the group decides, as always.

And yet, at the same time, I can't see a way to explain this to Dot at all without it going 20 kinds of bad.

>>43271976
I'm not even THAT pissed about the rape.
It's more how she did it that pisses me off.

File: fa38e77ed1937fc0392e90db7(...).jpg (36 KB, 480x360)

36 KB JPG

>>43271863

"Didn't save Knock," you tell her. "And- other stuff. She was rude to Mitchell too."

"Oh, well, we can't have that," she says, rolling her eyes with a smile. "I'm just sayin'... She's still your sister."

"Dot..." you tell her seriously. "It's my decision."

She looks at you. "...It's your decision."

Suddenly, you hear a cry from across the plant. "SMILES!" shouts someone.


Both of you rush to the front of the plant. The others- including Duela- are all gathered there. Outside stands the Merrymaker, shouting at you from the street outside with his goons.

"Little Prince!" he cries. "Little Princess! I've promised to come lead you home by tonight, and I won't leave until I do!"

The Torch waves his flamethrower over his head. You see his grisly smile in the morning sun.

"Do we have to smoke you out, Little Ones? Let the Merrymaker lead you home!"

The group hunkers down on an upper railing of the plant- a clear vantage point for gunfire, but if fire gets involved, you'll have to get down quickly.

"Gas," suggests Duela. "They're not immune."

"And then what?" says Dwayne. "They'll just come back again."

"Not if you use the right stuff," she says.

"And then what, though?" asks Coal. "The Joker sends more men? How can we solve this properly?"

"Hang on, guys... Let me think..."

>wat do

>>43272029
"She's not wrong. I'd like to keep one for interrogation though."

>>43272029
We still have any post exposure injections? Besides, I think when we gas them we'll need to focus fire on Merrymaker. I think the mask has a filter of some kind. Wound, don't kill if you can help it."
>Oh thank god something else to focus on

>>43272029
Duela. Remind me to make sure you take your meds.

>>43272029
I mean the night in the Axis plant, did the gas slow him down at all? Merrymaker I mean.

>>43272029
Dot, you're breaking my damn heart here. Maybe there's something we could hash out with Nocturna to fix up Dulia's skullspace.

She's right...she did save our bacon back when she didn't have to. That's what twists the knife a bit here so bad, I think. But...again. Just batshit insane. ...nnghhhh.

It's over the line, yes. But I'm sick of....fuck, I don't even know.

Fucking great job. I'm gunna go find a goddamn coin or something. Of course this is the quest that drives me to distraction.

>>43272029
I feel like we should tell Dot what happened. She's literally the only person in the quest Brock has never lied to.
She gets us well enough that I'm, well it'd suck, but it's better than hiding the truth on it. We just have to frame it so it sounds like the rape it actually was rather than us trying to get our dick wet.
Which if we include some anons being all "this ain't quite right, hold up, and some being like 'BAIL' boils down to 'sleepy confused Brock gets taken advantage of and as soon as he regained his wits kicked Duela the fuck out then puked on the floor. Puke's probably still there and everything"

>>43272176
Yeah, I'm conflicted too, I don't want to kill her, but the shit she did can't really go unpunished.
And better Dot hear it from us than Duela.

>>43272186
It. Yeah. Might be. Leave it up to Dot what happens to the nutcase.

File: Philip_Miles_001.jpg (43 KB, 547x317)

43 KB JPG

>>43272029

"Duela's right," you say, cursing yourself as you say those words. "I want one for interrogation though. Remember to focus fire on Merrymaker; his mask has a filter, I think. Wound, don't kill."

The others agree, and head off to get Smilex grenades, and launchers.

"And Duela-" you tell her. She turns. "Be sure to take your meds."

She smiles, and runs off. As they start to return, though, the Merrymaker orders the Torch to light fire to the exterior of the plant. You shout at them, warning them not to climb up the ladders to the railing.

The other Smiles rush into he plant, the Merrymaker following behind them, as you try to make your way down the sides of the building to the concrete floor.

One of the members of the group tosses a gas grenade in the midst of the group, and the four of them scatter to the edges of the room, avoiding the smokecloud in the middle. The man in the dental coat throws open his coat as he runs, tossing chattering teeth across his side of the room. Meanwhile, the huge knife-wielding woman moves towards Dwayne. Dwayne shoots a grenade into the woman's chest, the impact causing her to stagger back. She starts laughing on the floor.

"Dot! I just killed you from the future!" he laughs. Dottie laughs too- the girl can take a joke.

"The Baker is down!" cries the Merrymaker. "Rodney, the big one! Focus on the ones with the launchers!"

Deula runs straight towards one of the men, grenade in one hand and bat in the other. She pulls the pin on a grenade with her teeth, holding it in her hands as she runs towards the baseball-bat wielding hobo. She is engulfed in a cloud of poison gas, as the man holds his bat in front of himself. With one hand she swings wide, striking his bat with her own. She drops the grenade, and grips the bat with both hands. She strikes just as the man tries to raise is own weapon, striking him in the ribs. He doubles over, laughing and clutching his side. She caves his head in with the bat.

>>43272277
I guess Brock'll take some shots at Merrymaker.

>>43272277
Actually, better make that Rodney.

>>43272277
Probably Rodney.

>>43272277
After we light up the dentist's model we focus on Merrymaker.

File: David_Hill_(Prime_Earth).jpg (27 KB, 226x280)

27 KB JPG

>>43272277

"Will you get DOWN here?" she cries up to you, as you hand on the ladder on the flaming wall. "I'll catch you if you want. Just jump, unless you're looking to die a third time!"

Seeing no other way, you jump off the ladder, and towards Duela. You knock her down onto the hard concrete, both of you moaning in pain for a moment as you get up. She coughs- she had the wind knocked from her.

"Good plan," you tell her, rising to your feet.

You draw your dart gun and and spot the Torch- you fire. The dart embeds itself in his skull. He squeals, and falls to his knees. His body is engulfed in flames from the flamethrower.

"Mister Happy! Rodney! Dentist, you-" The Merrymaker is cut short.

Dot stands over a corpse as it is being devoured by chattering teeth, a mass of unidentifiable gore piling up around him has he's chewed up. In one hand is a bloody knife, and in the other, a red clown nose.

The Merrymaker looks around at you, all, then looks to you.

"YOU!" He says. "I'll do it myself if I-" He groans, and falls to the floor. Behind him stands Coal, a syringe in hand.


The Merrymaker comes to a few minutes later, all of you standing around him. Duela leans on her bat, the end of it pressed into his chest.

"Good going Velma," you tell Coal. "Scoob, keep him pinned. Now let's see who the monster is..." you say, unmasking the Merrymaker.

"...It's Mister Jenkins!" a few of you cry in unison.

It isn't actually Mister Jenkins.

File: boner_7.gif (83 KB, 329x327)

83 KB GIF

>>43272413

The Merrymaker is a young man of about your age, with dark hair and a goatee.

"Anybody you guys know?" you ask. They say no.

"Do you know how long it took me to make all four of those?" He says. Then he laughs- a nervous laugh, but a laugh nontheless. "Well, not very long. Finding the right body types took the longest. And The Torch's scar, that took a while. But I can have four more right back here within the month."

"Make the League?" you ask.

He laughs again.

>wat ask

>>43272460
Got a name?
[Insert Name] Where's the other Joker?

>>43272460
Any idea what 'pops' is planning? Introduce knife-use as needed.

>>43272460
By knife use I mean flaying flensing and cutting of bits. We could play word games I guess but this isn't really new territory for Brock.

File: 09a5202b5744d96a9709ea21f(...).jpg (93 KB, 750x545)

93 KB JPG

>>43272460

"Got a name, slick?" you ask him.

"Merrik Byrons," says the man proudly. "DOCTOR Merrik Byrons."

"Well, Mister Byrons," you say, kneeling down beside him. "Where's the other Joker?"

"Coming. For you. Coming for YOU! HA HA HA HA!"

You nod, and reach over to Dot's boot- where she keeps her knife. You flick it open. "Gonna need that in the form of an address, friend." You wedge the point of the knife between the bones of his knuckle and finger, and twist. The bones wedge apart, and you're able to saw through the tissue holding it on easily,

"What are you going to do? Go visit him?! HA HA HA!"

You start working on a second finger. "You only have so many of these, guy. I really don't want to start moving on to toes."

"Fine," he says, smiling. His eyes are wide with mania. "There's a Toy Factory in the new industrial district. And abandoned one."

"Good boy," you tell him. "Any idea what he's planning?"

The man laughs again. You work on another finger.

"Wanna try that again?" you ask.

"There IS no plan! He just wants YOU! HA HA HA HA HA!"

You doubt it.

"What... is that it? He just wants us to show up?" you ask.

"He just wants YOU! What more could you want?!"

"How about... a high five?" You look at the man's fingers in your hand. "Oooooh, right." You sit them on his chest.

"Boss, this place is on fire," says Dwayne. "Been on fire for a while. We better skip out for a bit."

You agree. "Mister Byrons," you tell the man, "I'm afraid I can't have you making any more of your circus acts."

Duela grips the aluminum bat by its rubber grip, the head pressed over his heart. You press the electric joybuzzer into the butt of the bat, electricity surging down through it and directly into the man's heart. He shakes, then smokes, then sizzles. When you're done with him he's nothing but a charred skeleton.

>>43272460
When's your birthday?
What state are you from?
What's today's date?
When's my birthday? I really want it to actually be April 1st. Mostly for giggles
Where's the other Joker hiding?

>>43272717
Christ why didn't we get fire extinguishers?

>>43272717
Get some important stuff and get the guys out.
>Obviously bothered by the eye in his pocket thing probably
>Then try to find a time and place to talk to the guys about what happened
>At least Dot

>>43272861
>>43272717
Depends how on fire it is I guess. Skip out is a good plan. Maybe go get some coffee or whatever.

>>43272717
I guess we could run headlong into the unknown but that sounds kinda dumb.

File: spaghetti-recipe-5.jpg (101 KB, 600x400)

101 KB JPG

>>43272717

You gather what supplies you can, and head out as the firetrucks come.

"So... Joker is just 'after' Duela and I," you tell the others as you ride through town. "That's all we really know. We know where he is, but it seems like going there might give him what he want, which is... What?"

"He wants us back," suggests Duela. "He wants to take us back in, after he abandoned us."

"He set both of our homes on fire," you remind her. "While we were in them, I might add. No, there has to be something else..."

Then, you think about the plants. "Where exactly are we going to live now?" you ask the others. "We've run out of hideouts."

"They ain't destroyed," says Dwayne. "They're mostly concrete. Interiors got messed up though. Take a while to fix up. Few weeks, probably. Until then, we're motel hoppin'. Works out alright, too- Joker ain't gonna know where we're sleepin'."

You all pull up to a motel, and split up into a couple of rooms. As usual, you get your own. The girls share one, and Dwayne takes another.


You call Dot over to your room for a meeting.

"Dot, look. I've got to tell you something. It's about Duela..."

"Yeah, I saw. She can't catch for shit, right? Her goin' all kamikaze with the grenade an' the swordfight made up for it, though."

"Uh, not that. It's about me and her..."

"You ain't really brother and sister," she says.

"What? No."

"You ARE brother an' sister?"

"...No, Dot, just listen. It's the reason I wanted to kill her this morning. Or let Harvey do it. Last night she snuck into my room... Well, not snuck; I let her in, but not HER, and-"

"...Boss?"

You catch your breath and gather your thoughts. "Listen, she knocked on the door last knight when it was dark wearing a wig, an eyepatch, and your facepaint. Dressed like you and everything. And then we-"

"You...?"

"-We kissed. A lot. And... You know."

She goes rigid. You can't see her face under her paint, but her neck is bright red.

"Why are you tellin' me-" she starts to ask.

>>43272946
I was hung over, groggy and she raped me Dot. It was dark and she was on top of me before I could really process shit.
It only got anywhere because of how she did it.
She borrowed your eyepatch and a few other things. Took about five seconds after I was actually awake to realize what was going on and who it was. I kicked her out of the room and puked.
I don't exactly know how to handle this, not right now when we're hurting for staff.
Otherwise I'd just kill her.
But, I didn't want to lie to you either.
I'm not really alright.

>>43272946
"Wait, wait," you tell her. "Then her wig came off and she showed me who she was. She was just making fun of me the whole time. It was a big joke to her."

"So you didn't know it was her?" she asks.

"No! God no. And I threw up after I found out. Literally. It's probably still there."

"...That's gross," she says. "So who'd you think she was?"

"I thought she was YOU."

Quiet. Rigid.

You sigh. "...But then you started talking about how she saved my life- all of our lives, even when she didn't have to. And let's face it, she's had something done to her brain. Maybe Nocturna can-"

"...Do I really look that fat?" she asks.

"It was pretty dark."

She nods slowly, and starts to walk back to her room.

"Don't kill Duela," she says. "You still gotta keep your deal with Harvey. No way around that. But... just don't kill Duela. Alright?"

"That's your decision," you say. She leaves.

File: 1367546779925.jpg (78 KB, 824x726)

78 KB JPG

>>43273042
>Quiet. Rigid.
Something was quiet and rigid, alright.

>>43273075
ayyyy

>>43273042
Go get some god-damn coffee and check the wi-fi or newspaper for something to rob or murder. Even if we don't do anything, planning might be therapeutic.

>>43273082

I would repost that if I was you. QM still tends to use stuff from posts he misses.

>"Some stupid bullshit about 'beating me', I don't know. I didn't want to kill her, I'm not sure it's a good idea now. I just really want to hurt her and can't figure out how without driving her to the other guy. Or if I should just have Coal up the dosage on her meds."
>"I just know I've never lied to you yet, I don't intend to, and it didn't seem right not to tell you."
>"So I'm asking you what you think I should do with someone like that. Even accounting for the times she's saved our lives."
>"Either way it goes, I actually trusted the girl there for a bit. Then it bit me in the ass. I'm not sure I'm alright with killing her, but a very distinct part of me wants to cut her head off and spike it repeatedly off the parking lot."

>>43273042
Maybe send Dwayne for a pack of cigarettes. Not like they're going to kill us before anything else in this city.

>>43273153
Even most god-awful "horror of horrors" supervillians don't rape anon.
They know it's bad form. It's base, it isn't clever, and the only thing that even allowed Duela's to work was timing.
Oh my god, she's learning pacing.
I mean it's still a garbage move for a supervillian. But she's been learning from us, so that's something.

File: IMG_2306.jpg (64 KB, 554x763)

64 KB JPG

>>43273042

In he Toy Factory across town, The Joker is taking a much deserved rest, sitting in an easy chair and reading in is housecoat.

Harley enters the room. "How ya doin', puddin?" she asks.

"Oh well enough, Harl," says the Joker. "Just catching up on a bit of my re-"

"TheSmileysIsAllDead!" she rushes to say while he's talking.

"What was that, Harl?"

"Nothin'," she says, smiling a very guilty looking smile. He gives her a chastising look. A Ricky Ricardo glare.

"Harleeeey...."

"The League. They're all dead. Even Birdbman," she says warily.

He laughs. "Is that all?" He sits back in his chair and returns to his book. "We'll just have to make another MerryMaker then, won't we?" He raises a pipe to his lips, and blows. Bubbles bubble out of it.
Back at the motel, you gather everyone together.

"I think it's time we determined our next goal," you tell them. "I think we should definitely tell Penguin about the death of the League. We know... some things about the Joker. A little bit. He seems to be screwing around, but he's after us. But we don't know why, and that's what scares me."

"A code or data chip in our bodies?" suggests Duela. "Some kind of data recorded in our brains through mental conditioning that only he ca access? Maybe some kind of super virus, and we're the only carriers of the dormant virus. Or even-"

"Duela, please," you ask her.

She gives you a smug look for a moment- just to remind you what she's holding over you- but gives it up. She's just as confused as you are about the whole mess, and she was just trying to help, in her way.

"Then what?" asks Dot. "The only thing we had to go on were the Smiles, and they're all dead now. But if we just wait for him to make a move-"

"If you attack, though," says Coal, "you're giving him exactly what he wants."

You sigh.

"Dwayne- get me some cigarettes when you go out. Not like they're going to kill me before anything else in this city." He agrees.

>wat do

>>43273312
I don't really want to give away our position, but I kinda want to rob or murder something.
Still, might be best to take stock of what we do have. At the moment.

>>43273312
Don't go to the plant, drop off a present.

Now the question is what we should get farther dear.

Adoption certificates maybe?

>>43273312
"Hey Penguin? You know those League of Smiles guys? They're dead. Sorry about the mess, again. Carpenter make it over?"

>>43273400
Or maybe a pair of socks with smiles on them.

>>43273400
Not right now anon. We're not in a position to really capitalize on goading.
Or are we? Hm...doesn't seem like it. We're low on smilex and most expendables until we get back to the plant. Not that we really need smilex v. the Joker. But it'd be good to thin their ranks with at least.

>>43273312
In general I think this is why it's a bad idea to ever announce anything to be the final thread. Even if you do seem to have it worked out that every post we don't stop or at least hinder the Joker, his plans advance further (presumably killing us at a predetermined time or when the thread reaches page 10) it seems like anons can't escape sleep forever.

As for plans, while it's hard to tell what Joker values (or if it's even consistent) he IS vain and prone to outrage. Doing something for the purpose of humiliating or embarrassing him could make him angry and thus sloppy, assuming we're able to hit the mark. Like... He definitely doesn't care that we keep killing his guys.

>>43273465
Frankly i see it as the old man aint ready to actually do anything to us yet. So what is the end goal?

We could do a gig to pass the time, but that will draw his attention. We could carry on and just chill for a few days, but then everyone is going to get paranoid and duela will do something again.

If Joker was serious about getting us back to his hideout he would have gotten harley to do it for him already.

Note: do we still have her hyenas?

>>43273490
But as >>43273465 pointed out, for that to work, we need a hook to go with the bait. And I don't think we have... Much of anything.

>>43273312
I suppose we could sic the Bat on him. We know where he is and we have the Bat's number.
It'd be sure to distract from his nefarious schemes, AND might get him on the run as well which would be a nice change of pace.
But it seems like such a limp-wristed answer, might knock his resources down a bit, and open him up. Still...

Lets just plan a scheme for resources. We have nothing to do with mr J today and it'll keep us active and mobile. Stash some cash someplace not with our accountant. Kind of an emergancy fund if we actually survive.


We could of course just show up to his place. Hes not going to kill us then and there, wouldnt be funny nor dramatic.

When we had the chance, should have tried asking Calculator who the original Joker was. Sure 99% chance we'd have just gotten bullshit, but who knows.

File: IMG_2362.png (414 KB, 444x460)

414 KB PNG

>>43273312

You call up the Penguin. "Penguin- this is Joker. I wanted to inform you that we've finished the business with the League. You don't have to worry about them anymore."

"That won't do, m'boy," he tells you. "The purpose was to let Joker know his place with me. Now he'll assume his men can attack the Iceberg with impunity.

You think quickly.

"Nightjar said you had a man at the coroner's office, correct? Because the bodies are going there. And we know where he's staying- an abandoned Toy Factory in the industrial district. You could send him a little welcome back gift..."

"WAAHK WAAHK WAAHK! Splendid! A quick solution, m'boy. Yes, I think I will have a little gift basket sent over to that troublesome trickster."

"My pleasure, Penguin. And how are the repairs coming?"

"They are indeed, m'boy. As you promised, it seems we will open on schedule."

"Glad to hear it, Penguin. And sorry for the damages."

"Baaaah- why let a bit of temporary damage step in the way of business! WAAAHK WAAAHK WAAAHK!"

You hang up.

You talk to the others, your mind racing with ideas. "We know the Joker is vain and prone to outrage. Something that would humiliate or embarrass him could make him angry and sloppy, assuming we're able to hit the mark. Killing his men doesn't help much.

We could also just sic Batman on him." The others seem uncomfortable at this. "It would distract him from his nefarious schemes, and maybe even get him on the run. It would be a nice change of pace.

The problem is, we're low on expendables until we can get back into the base. And that won't be for a couple of weeks. Sure we can stop by and pick things up, but that's different from having them on-hand. We can get them if we have prep time, but not if we're ambushed.

(cont)

So double-check our connections. Bother Coal about how-to smilex.
Hit the books and maybe make it work. Whatever "it" is. Point out that Brock and Duela both should probably get lo-jack'd in case of capture.

File: clownbutte.jpg (165 KB, 1920x1080)

165 KB JPG

>>43273666

If Joker really wanted us- and I mean REALLY wanted us- he'd send Harley after us, and she'd bring us in herself. We just don't know his end goal.

I think our best plan is to just do what we always do- plan a gig. I feel like murdering and stealing something. Anything. And let's do something fun, like we used to, right?

I've got a plan I'd like to run by you guys...."

You sit down, and lay out the plan- what very well could be your last heist.

>wat want
>wat do
>wat need
>who need
>go hog wild

>>43273490
>i still have 27 pages of notes to get through, so I may carry this thread into a second thread right after this one sages.

>>43273678
Now that the siege has been lifted and folks are coming back, we need something to gloat with. A big old monument to jokers. I suggest we break into a big tech corp building, steal their cool shit and rebrand their building a single joker logo/emblem on the front.

Capture everyone inside, tie them up and stick unloaded or fake guns in their hands and a clown mask/cover on them. While the cops are busy dealing with the fake gang members were making off scott free with all the loot.

>>43273678
We'll bring in Mitchell for fun.
Hm...have we done anything with a zoo yet? On the other hand there has to be a place in the city where they store super-villian weaponry.
You know what my greatest regret out of all this is though?
Not taking the time to train somewhere between two and four parrots. Then mutating them into colorful, flapping, squawking punch line setting up deathbeasts.

>>43273746
Giant death beasts even.

>>43273678
I mean a hilarious smokescreen would be to do a 'greatest hits' version of the Joker's most famous crimes, only deliberately botching them, but I don't know how to do that and accumulate resources.

>>43273746
Question: what happens if we inject parrots with the langstrum syrum?

Want to find out?

>>43273746
Do you think they take a new mugshot of Joker ever time they bring him in? Assuming there are occasions where he's not delighted someone is taking a picture of him could help us get into his head. Like when are the times he REALLY didn't want to get caught?

>>43273678
Hm...so the question then is what to target. Once Brock has a target in mind usually the pieces fall into place. It needs to be something useful though so the question is what.

>>43273794
Why not hyenas? We might have a few of those somewhere. Otherwise we'd have need to knock over a pet store for the parrots. Hell, we knock over the pet store inject all the animals with langstrom's serum.

>>43273808
We could just do a big fuss about a grand escape.

So holding up an entire airport kind of whacky.

>>43273828
You can't make an amazing aerial get away on your trained mutant hyenas.

File: IMG_2314.jpg (84 KB, 851x315)

84 KB JPG

>>43273678

"This job will be a celebration," you tell them. "We're going to create a monument to us, folks. The crown jewel in our criminal careers. It may take days, but I can wait. It will be worth it.

Dwayne, we need men. And money. All of it we can spare. This is going to be an expensive one, but it's gonna be worth it."

"Yeah, but... what do we get?" he asks.

"We get remembered," you smile.

"We'll need to pull in contacts, though- a lot of them. And call in favors. Coal, I've got a lot riding on you in this. And Duela- this time, we need your expertise in particular. We'll need to talk to Miss Duffey, too.

And of course, Mitchell."

"Why him?" asks Dot.

"Dot, where would the Joker be without the Condiment King? We're partners."

>>43273894
Dot just wants the kiteman again.

>>43273828
Also certain kinds of parrots are as smart as five year olds. There's a good chance they'd look up to the people that trained them as parents after a fashion. Be able to set up punch lines and get the jokes.
All for the low-low cost of occasionally awkwardly trying preen your hair delicately off and on. So pops and company keep looking sharp. Also "flock tactics"
As opposed to just bringing pack tactics and nervous laughter to the table.

>>43273894
>Stamp that exact logo on the front of Wayne Tower.
>Simultaneously give the old man and Bruce heart attacks for different reasons.

>>43273934
Backing.
Its kind of poetic anyway, the joker cant really exist without the bat.

>>43273973
Also I think one of Brock's conditions in Crime Alley was that if Bats wanted to stick around for the Halloween Party then he'd have to smile so he didn't scare the kids.
Even if circumstantial it'd give Bruce like 900 heart attacks at the thought 'one of them might...'

File: IMG_2626.jpg (26 KB, 418x235)

26 KB JPG

>>43273894

It's evening in Gotham, in mid-November.

Across town, several strange men slip into petstores and the Gotham City Zoo, each disguised as an employee. Each carries a bottle, and a syringe. They have targets. Like professionals, they slip in, hit their targets, and leave. Most are never even seen.

Elsewhere, men with carts and garbage cans dressed as janitors slip through the Wayne Tower. The trashcans are not filled with trash, though.

You, Deula, and Mitchell stand on a nearby rooftop, ready for your cue.
In the petshops of Gotham, the parrots start acting strange. They beat their wings against the cages, squawking loudly. Then screeching. Feathers fall out as their wings twist and extend, their colorful feathers mottled with thick black fur. Their beaks warp into strange fanged jaws, and colorful feathered ears sprout from heir heads. Some even grow extra wings; many are a mishmash of bat and parrot parts. An unfortunate few are so mutated they fall uselessly to the bottoms of their cages.

The beasts cling to their cages with their hand-like wings. Some of them open their cages with their new thumbs. Others beat or tear their way out. The pet store parrots, many of them old and having been exposed to many rude children, tend to have a very select few special words taught to them. The new Parrot-Bats scream, swear, and tear through Gotham.

And at the zoos, something similar happens. Hyenas warp into huge winged cackling creatures, easily gliding out of their cages and preying on those nearby. Both strange Gargoyle-like hybrids spread throughout the city, making nuisances of themselves. Pets are eaten, crackers are stolen, babies cry from being told to 'fuck off' by ghoulish feathered monsters, feelings are hurt by laughing bat-hyenas... The list goes on.


The news reports strain to find the truth behind the situation - monsters, demons, aliens... Could be any of them, really.

File: Joker's_Balloons.jpg (1.26 MB, 1920x1080)

1.26 MB JPG

>>43274164

Once the reports start coming in, the janitors strike. Each pulls on a mask and draws an automatic rifle from his garbage can, and announces that the people are hostages, and for everyone to get down.

One by one, each man and woman is gagged and masked, and a toy gun is taped to their hands. They're set to walk around the building on set patterns; no hostage knows which other hostage could be a criminal. In silent fear, they walk their routes as ordered.

"Are you ready, Duela?" you ask her.

And she is.

The three of you stand on a platform. Around you, creatures start rising.

An octopus.

A kitty.

A... thing.

And between them all, rises a giant clown with a long red nose.

The balloons fill with gas, but large fans beneath the platform provide much of the lift for the flying machine. The strange platform rises from the rooftop, and floats across the street- across to the Wayne Enterprises building.

"Mitchell?" you ask. He just sighs.

"Uh... Yeah partner. I guess..." He takes hold of the rope securing one balloon- the octopus- and separates from the platform. You leave him floating between the two buildings.

As you near the building, the dark platform starts to flip, as the two of you balance yourselves on the top of the platform- revealing itself as a sign.

The sign floats before the neon Wayne Enterprises logo, and clamps over it, shutting it down. As scheduled, the lights inside are shut off.

For a moment, the building is dark.

All over the city, people look up at the once glowing tower.

>>43274164
Good gravy, did I laugh way too hard at that.

File: joker_text_logo_wp_by_cha(...).jpg (41 KB, 1192x670)

41 KB JPG

>>43274298

Speakers set up beneath the tower project your voice across the town, and cameras on the sign record the two of you, broadcasting you all over Gotham city via Spike's pirate signal.

People are hushed with anticipation.

"Hello, Cleaveland!" you shout. Your voice echos through the city's streets. Duela leans over to you, and makes a show of whispering in your ear.

"...Good lord. We've made a terrible mistake." You shrug.

"We wanted to remind you who the REAL class clowns in this town are," says Duela to the cameras.

"And to leave you with a VERY special message," you add.

The sign lights up.


It is a huge logo- the logo of your predecessor, but with a little change of your own.

"The JokerZ."

From the balloon between the buildings, Condiment King sprays his condiments in a pattern you've told him.

The lights on the floor beneath the sign come on. Now backlit, the smears of condiments appear as black letters on the windows to the people of Gotham.

"SAY"

File: ECLS0090SmileTextOnBatman(...).jpg (402 KB, 1094x734)

402 KB JPG

>>43274469

At Gotham Police Headquarters, a huge man airlifted from a hot air balloon by a dark lady adjusts a spotlight. He turns it on.

On the floor below the last word, a familiar symbol can be seen- the Batsignal.

And this light, too, illuminates another word- this time appearing bright red from the light shining on it from the front.

Across the Batman's logo, appears the word

"SMILE!"

Mitchell hurriedly retakes his position on the sign.


"Keep your chin up, Gotham," says Duela into the cameras.
"And remember who made you smile," you say.

"And also, the Condiment King was here," says Mitchell proudly.

You all join hands and take a bow.

The balloons rise into the sky, and explode.

The streets of Gotham are showered with...

File: Laughing_Fish_Smiles.jpg (25 KB, 500x374)

25 KB JPG

>>43274523

...some very unhealthy looking fish.

File: 1445727575412.jpg (111 KB, 470x700)

111 KB JPG

>>43274542

"Uh oh," says Harley Quinn, sitting next to the Joker as he watches the broadcast.

He crumples his newspaper angrily. "My FISH!" howls the Joker. "Those good-for-nothing brats stole my best bit!"

"Now Mistah J," says Harley. "Watch ya blood preshah..."

"When I get my hands on those two I'll..." he shreds the newspaper in his hands, grinding his teeth.

"...Okay, you ain't watchin' it," says Harley, defeated.


Back on the newly-christened JokerZ Tower, you stand with Duela and Mitchell on the neon sign.

"That went well," you say. "Now we just have to..."

There is a behind you, in the midst of your group.

"...Wait for Batman to get here and yell at us." You turn to face him.

"How you doing, Bats?"

Duela stands behind him, starstruck.

"Are you trying to show off for the Joker, you two? Are you trying to impress him? Hoping he'll let you join him?" asks The Batman.

>wat say
>wat ask

>>43274743
"it is quite the opposite this is us trying to make him angry"

>>43274743
Hell no, we know he doesn't work like that.

He's going to kill us. Or try really hard to. That's not exactly something we want.

>>43274743
You oughta know by now that you couldn't pay me to work with the other one. Even with whatever Scrooge McDuck vault you get your funds from."
"I just wanted to see what it'd take to get you off your ass and doing something."
"You know the guy has something planned right? Besides killing us I mean."

>>43274743
"Of course, now he'll be mad. Ever coaxed a turtle out of it's shell?"

>>43274743
"Besides just killing us."
"Look, you want to flutter off and do something useful? This is just constructive vandalism."

Might have to drop we know where the origonal is, but do it after the second or third sentance pass, so it does not look like were trying to direct him against the old man.

>>43274743
"The guy claiming to be the original is at-well wait. What's in it for me if I tell you?"
>Hopefully this happens away from the mic

>>43274743
"Oh where are my manners? Batguy, Duela. Duela, this is....probably a rich guy with mental issues
>Look at him all embarrassed but sarcastic
"I mean, Son of Sugar Glider, right?"