Teen Titans Roster Day Off (7)

Uptown

Robin

The procession started at the far end of main street, with music that at the time people stated as coming from "Everywhere and nowhere!" All at once.  A thudding baseline accompanied by a simple guitar rift.

The mooks filed into the street from surrounding houses, in groups of four or five. Each of them was armed for robberies handguns, baseball bats, and other sports equipment! They wore clown masks and were dressed in patchwork clothing!

As the group gathered, marching down the street in time to the base line, witnesses flocked to the street. These kinds of events, whether announced or not were double edged swords, and parents kept their kids far back from the edge of the crowd. Villains in Gothem liked to make a show of their power, and that wasn't always crowd friendly. Robberies were being performed, including some good natured pick-pocketing where men and women just dumped their valubles in compliance with the criminals. The spoils were brought to the slow moving vehicles.

"Ladies, Gentlemen and Heroes of Gotham City! I am proud to announce! Comedy Inc!" the voice over the loudspeaker declared in smooth silky tones, followed by a slightly maniacal laugh.  "Mwa he he ha he, and sponsored by the town to boot! So allow me to introduce, Joker Junior!"

"This hit, that ice cold, Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold
This one, for them hood girls, Them good girls, straight masterpieces

Stylin', wildin', Livin' it up in the city
Gothem's gonna give it up, Gotta kiss myself, so pretty" the performance has begun, a young figure, possibly Mexican and definitely no older than twelve dressed similar to the mooks! A purple dandy outfit, a painted face with a big grin and red lips! His hair was a long spiky white streak through brown side-burns and the boy gyrated as the minions performed their first big robbery.

"You're too hot!

Call a police and a fireman, Too hot
Make a dragon wanna retire, man, Too hot!
Say my name, you know who I am!"

And the crowd cheered "Joker!" In unison.

We, the assembled Bat Family, plus Miss A, were watching from the rooftops nearby, this was the culmination of Kate and Bernard's investigation.

"Ten to one the rag-doll hype-man there is the kid's father!" Miss A observed, she was the most calm here, having probably the least experience with Gotham and it's criminal base.

"I'll take that bet!" Bernard and I actually replied in unison, and I awkwardly went silent. I could see his goofy grin in the exposed part of his face. We'd stayed up later than intended yesterday, talking about the past. About what I'd been doing. I tried to keep things simple, still as we had spoke his old grin and swagger had returned.

"For all the community knows, this new Joker and the Ring Master girl may as well be the Joker's kids! He was out of the industry for ages, although any guess who the mother is."

I watched the parade while Kate coordinating with the City Watch. "We need to consider that they might not be human! Those outfits actually hide everything about the person, and I've dealt with robot kids twice already!"

"'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to ya
'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to ya
'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to ya
Saturday night, and we in the spot
Don't believe me, just watch!" Little Joker was fully dancing and strutting on the moving stage, the Ring Master apparently organizing the troop of adult henchmen.

Stage one began, while we observed, The Watch descending on the scene from either end of the street to block off the slow moving procession. They didn't drive cars in the usual sense, instead one man tanks flanked into the streets calling out "All Citizens are required to Evacuate!" as they moved in from the side streets.