The Joker's Daughter [Wattys]

Chapter Six: Duela Dent

I'm going to get rid of her.

I need a plan.

No you don't. You're a Joker, remember?

Right.

Throughout the knots in my stomach, I walked back home with my striped hoodie and sunglasses, completely sure of what I wanted to do. I made it back to the mill and pressed the button next to the gate. "Yes?"
"Why so serious, hoe," I said plainly. The man on the other side let out an aggravated sigh and opened the gate. I was about to thank him but he ended the call over the intercom. "Asshole," I said to myself.

I marched passed everyone else like I was upset but the truth is I wasn't grouchy at all, I was amused. She just wants to play. That's all. But someone has to teach her how to play fair.

I looked immediately for Johnny. That's funny. Usually he's working out or playing poker with the guys. At the brink of giving up, I followed a trail of smile leading back out toward the parking lot behind some cars. I must've missed him while walking in. The trail lead me behind some cars in the corner, where I saw him making out with a rather... 'elaborately' dressed female with his usual cigarette in hand. I stood there, becoming increasingly impatient as both of them failed to notice me. Then it started getting more than just making out. Ew. Can they really not see me? I threw the bag with the Advil he asked for at him. "I need your help," I said. "Go away little girl," said the woman. I couldn't help but laugh at her and the blood drain out of Johnny's face.

"You have to go now Esmeralda." Haha. Esmeralda? Really? Johnny practically shoved her out of the way, letting her gigantic heels click out of the garage angrily. Once she was gone, he looked at me like he was about to kill me. "Well look at you!"

"What is it Alethia?"

"I want to rob a place."

"What place?" he asked, smoking his cigarette.

"Anywhere. Preferably somewhere that sells computers."

"Why are you asking me and not your dad? And why do you need a computer?"

"Okay will you stop asking me so many questions?"

"Don't be stupid sweetheart, no one's going to take you seriously. Now will you just please..not tell the boss about-"

"Your lady friend over there? I gotta say, that was pretty funny and I think my dad will find it hilarious too."

"Okay okay. I'll get a few guys down and we'll help you rob a Sears or something. But if you get killed or arrested it's not my fault. Is this supposed to be a surprise or something? Or are you just trying to prove yourself, kid?''

''Yeah. A surprise.'' Sure. Lets go with that.

I bounced down the stairs to the main room and went from henchman to henchman of they had any extra clown-like clothing that could possibly fit me. Most of them were much taller and bigger than me, and some didn't want anything to do with me, but none of that gets to me anymore. So I desperately accepted the bigger clothing when I remembered that I kept an extra sewing kit in the bag of shit I threw in there from my old house. I grabbed that and ran to the downstairs bathroom. (It's a steel mill, how nice could a bathroom be here?) I rummaged the collection I accumulated of sweaty old clown clothes, lookin for something interesting.

Lets see... twelve black shirts with a simple 'J' painted on them, three leather jackets, six pairs of colored jeans, two green vests, one button down shirt, and one mask. I tried on every combination possible, but none of them stood out like dad's suit. I have to look better than that phony too. Shit.

Wait, maybe I hadn't tried every combination possible. I forgot one pair of purple pinstripe jeans.

I tried them on. Then I had an idea. White button down. Tuck that in. Green vest. Voila! Although the whole thing looked much too big, I did look alright for the first draft of my signature outfit. I'm sure the mighty Joker went through some trial and error as well! Hell, Batman probably looked like a tin can at one point.