Once Was Lost...: A Red Hood B4 Joker Fanfic

Once Was Lost..

Amazing Grace.

Darkness was his only embrace. As he delved deeper into the halls of the chemical plant, he traveled through the dark in which he could not be seen. It may be one of Batman's motives, but if he can think like the Bat then maybe he could find a way out of here.

The only audible sounds were of some liquid leak dripping out of its pipe. If he wanted this robbery to be successful he had to be as quiet as possible. And as he kept to himself and only to himself he replayed the mission in his mind. Walking through the plant in deep thought about himself, why he was here, who he was doing this for. Yes... that was it... he was only in it for the money.

And he was alone. More so than you know. He had a wife. That was until he later learned that she was killed in some freak accident today. While his men were all caught and shot down by the night shift security.

Who thought Batman would also be the cop to stop them now. Blind as a bat in daytime he led himself along the walls, journeying deeper into the darkness.

How sweet the sound.

The swish of a cape alerted him that Batman was nearby. No... he was already close enough. So close that he could tell apart the Knight from the night itself. And being caught by the Bat was scarier than the dark ditch in life he was already in.

The catwalk was nearby- if he were to run up there and cross to the other side he could make a way to the exit and finally walk outta this plant. Taking a step back away from the Bat he turned and ran to his final destination, and up the silver stairs. Greeted by Batman who conveniently flew up there to meet him, they were surrounded by the enormous basin of chemicals below them.

Not a word was spoken as the metal beneath bashed and clang while his domed red helmet hit the cold surface. No "stop where you are", no "give it up before it's too late". Maybe because it was all too cliché for the Dark Knight. Has he already been through it all?

After an upper punch to the face and repeated attacks to his left and right side made him felt close to death. Yes a beating of that size by the Batman could do that to a man. And did he embrace it? Oh yes he did. Why not go down at a time like this than any other? He's lost everything else- his wife, his 'home'- whatever the Red Hood Gang could scrape off of him, why not his life?

So he wondered why the Batman looked so surprised when he fell off the side of the catwalk like he did. And the worried look on his face when he wouldn't even grab the vigilante's hand. Nor did he yell. But what he did emit was the last laugh.

That saved a wretch like me.

What fun would it be if he was saved? This was only just the beginning. The wave of chemicals cleansed his skin as they took him on a trip out of the plant. It was what he wanted from the beginning anyway. A big pipe leading out of the factory led him beside a crooked stream.

Feeling disheveled and beaten he trudged over to the river and lay beside the water. Then he took off his helmet and put it behind him. Taking in the stench of the air and the fumes in his lungs he felt a change come over him. So he looked into the stream and saw his exaggerated features in the water.

I once was lost, but now I'm found.

And what he took back came to him as some sort of melody from an old play: face as pale as chalk, teeth as yellow as corn, and lips as red as blood...

And then there was the green hair.

What... am I? He thought to himself. Who... am I? His reflection only seemed to giggle and smile at him revealing no answers. And as a joker card drifted down the stream and slowly floated over his reflection he began to learn what he should become.

"Was blind, but now I see..."