Whenever Monarch was defeated, we thought that everything would go back to how it was before. We thought we could express ourselves freely. We could feel what we wanted to feel. And we were able to. Just not for long. Lila Rossi as we know her, but...
I'm plunged into darkness, the world around me morphing into a nightmare from which I can't escape. I'm not myself; I'm a pawn in the Joker's twisted game, a puppet with strings tangled around my limbs, pulling me deeper into his madness.
I watch helplessly as I carry out his vile commands, each life I take staining my soul with guilt and regret. But what haunts me more than the act itself are the memories that flood my mind like a torrential downpour.
I had blood on my hands. Blood of innocent people. It stained my soul, my skin, everything. It was everywhere. Yet, I felt no remorse. I felt nothing.
The room around me spins until I fall back into a cell, my feet chained to a wall. Joker was here, he was looking right at me. I struggled to see him through the tears in my eyes. Everything hurt now. I felt everything. I was in pain, I was hungry, I was thirsty, I was scared.
It was all too much, especially when something is stabbed into my side. I feel my mouth open, and my throat clench as agonizing screams tear from me as I beg for mercy. "Please," I whimper, the words barely a whisper in the darkness, "make it stop."
But the Joker only laughs, his manic cackle echoing off the walls of my mind. "You're mine now, Mari," he smiles, his voice dripping with malice. "Mine to control, mine to manipulate. My new toy to fix."
I didn't want to be fixed. I was fine, I just needed to get away from him.
I blink my eyes, only to find myself in an office. This was Lex Luthor's office. I'm standing behind him, watching in the shadows as Joker speaks with him, I can't hear what they're saying, everything just sounds like a waterfall.
Joker looks at me from the corner of his eye and I move forward. I use the knife in my hand and hold it to Luthor's throat. "I'll be watching your every move, Lex. Don't ever think for one moment that you are safe." I nick his throat before disappearing into the shadows and reappearing in the Batcave.
Everything was wrong. There was blood everywhere. White noise filled my ears as I watch the scene before me.
Two-Face had a hold of Tim. Tim was nearly dead, is face pale and his chest was barely moving. Two-face kept hitting him, punching, kicking until he put him in a chokehold. His chest stopped moving altogether.
I screamed in agony and tried to run forward, try to stop this. But I couldn't. My body refused to move; I stood still as the next scene was thrusted in front of me.
Penguin was facing off against Babs. She was on the floor, using her upper body to move away and dodge Penguins blows. But he finally got to her, he shot her right in the head, her blood splattering the floor in front of her.
Tears filled my eyes and made it harder to see the next scene, as if I wanted to, but it's not like I had a choice.
Joker was fighting Bruce, and thankfully Bruce was winning. Selina joined alongside him and together they were both tied up. Joker and his goons tied them together and threw them into the bat computer. The wires started to light up and catch fire. I don't think they survived it.
I was screaming now, I couldn't hear it, but I could feel it. I could feel my throat ache with every wail and protest.
Duke, Cass, and Steph were fighting against Riddler. There were three of them they have to win. It was three against one. Riddler was shooting maniacally as the three of them dodged the bullets. They were getting closer to him; they were going to win. Cass got to him first, using her sword to cut off his hand, forcing him to drop the gun.
But he was the distraction. Behind them scarecrow releases his fear gas. They all drop to the ground; their mouths open as their screams tear through their throats.
Dick and Jason were fighting against Mr. Freeze. Jason was already frozen in a block of ice and Dick was still fighting. That is until Mr. Freeze plunges an icicle into his chest. It cuts through him until you can see the end dripping with blood.
Dami fights against Deathstroke. They give and receive blows, stabs, and cuts. Dami seems to be winning and I let myself hope that maybe, just maybe this will end better than the rest. It doesn't. Dami jumps into the hair his sword over his head as he tries to pounce onto the Deathstroke, but in the last second Deathstroke turns and plunges his sword into his chest.
I scream and thrash until by some miracle I can move again. I run forward and straight into an invisible wall. I bang on it, trying to get to Dami, but it's too late. I watch as the life leaves his eyes, and he slumps over. Dead.
"Angel?" a voice calls out, a note of concern laced with familiarity.
