Memories Lost (The One They Know)

Chapter Six: The Joke Was On Me

Roses.

Red ones, there's something wrong with them. They were in my dream. Dozens of thorned roses in a great dessert. Nothing else besides sand. Sand and bloody red roses.

They were so sad.

Jesus, listen to me. Fuck roses.

Fuck people who grow them or paint them or put them on other peoples graves.

Wait

I...

No, fuck roses.

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Joker liked to hang out in the warehouse. It was where he and Bane and Eddie and the Cat Lady used to plan things. He even had his own obsession-themed room upstairs. Hell, he was sitting on his couch. Nice and homey.

It's also where he had moved all his knives, and let's face it, moving away requires energy.

He was too bored. Bat Brain hadn't even come around to spice things up. Not since Lily's "save the villain" campaign. Look, the kid's entertaining enough but hey, let rabid dogs be wild.

It was a noble cause and all, but not everybody changes. And sometimes when they do change they turn into giant dicks.

Of course, now it was Lily who was changing. He never thought that she'd have the balls to murder someone, especially not the dear Doctor Crane. Ha! Imagine what Batsy boy has to say about that.

Or he could just ask her himself.

"Greetings Lily. Enjoy the afterlife?"

She hovered in the doorway. Her expression didn't change but her finger twitched. "It was pretty warm."

Joker stood up, not taking his eyes off of her.

She came closer, watching his hands. "You're not supposed to be here."

He grinned. "Well you're not supposed to be breathing. But, here we are."

Her finger twitched again but she didn't speak, so he continued. "Uh. What are you doing here anyway? Stealing? I can respect that."

"Why would you think I'm stealing?"

"Weeeell, what other reason is there? It's not to kill me now, is it?"

"Death is just a pest for you, why waste it?"

Joker unholstered his gun and raised it to eye-level. "Doesn't mean I don't get to shoot you."

Lily flung her arms in the air. "Go on, you'd be doing me a favor. I'd owe you one for the afterlife."

Joker hesitated and she licked her lips: mimicking his unsavory habit.

"Unless," she continued. "You don't want to save your friends."

Joker grinned and tilted his head to one side.

"Well... wouldn't say friends."

"No, of course not. They're background people, the noise in the street when you... Perform. They're faceless nobodies, and the irony is: we need them."

Lily lowered her hands. Joker lowered his gun.

"And, uh, why would we need them?"

Lily clicked her tongue. "I'll get back to you on that one."

Joker started pacing, like the caged animal that he knew he was. "It's quite a scheme you got going on, kiddo. Care to fill me in on the details."

"Not really."

"Aw, don't you trust me? After all the good times we had?"

Lily looked down for a moment. "Didn't you hold a knife to my neck? Didn't you cut me?"

Joker laughed. "Oh the good old days. I know I miss them. You know, before you died."

"Before your friend murdered me."

"I thought we talked about the whole 'friend' thing."

Lily flicked her wrist and suddenly Joker couldn't move. He stood, convulsing as electricity ran through his veins, before collapsing on the floor. His gun lay discarded on the floor.

Lily crept forward and picked a small metal disc from Joker's jacket before putting it back in her pocket. It was obviously some kind of light electrocution device. She must've thrown it at him when he wasn't paying attention.

"There, THATS why we need the background noise. They give you nice things." She picked up his gun and examined it in the fading light.

Joker groaned through a thin smile. "I thought tricks were my thing."

Lily tossed the gun aside and leaned closer to Joker, snaking an arm around his waist.

"I, uh- There's a law against sexual harassment you know."

Lily slowly pulled back her arm, revealing a diamond shaped knife that had been dyed red.

Joker licked his lips and faked a sheepish expression. "That belongs to a friend."

"Fine, but you were going to kill me."

Joker rested his head on a purple, leather glove. "Nah, you're my favorite background noise."

Lily smiled. "I can't die today Joker, I have things to do."

She stood, making room for him to sit up. "A raincheck then?"

She turned away, flicking her fingers as she walked. Her voice was calm. "How about Tuesday?"

Joker mimicked her finger motion.

"Tuesday."