dark places | wayne

two :: arkham

Dedicated to Tigergirl48051 because she helped me figure out how the villains of the story fit together. <3

Seven years ago

She didn't remember her parents much, just scraps here or there. She left them when she was sixteen to live by herself.

But her waitressing tanked, the bar closed and she was out of a job. And soon, out of a home.

She had begun to nurse a strong hatred for the world. She was angry to see so many people living easily, when it was a struggle for her to even remain sane.

She started to steal the things she needed from the happy people, teach them a lesson, and make her life easier.

She heard the stories about the Batman and his heroic feats. How he would save this person, put that one behind bars, protect a family... Where was her protection?

She'd grown insane from the life she led. Officials brought her in, and took her to Arkham...

The Asylum was worse than she ever feared, then again, she was worse than she ever feared. She was given three servings of sludge a day and was able to talk to the other inmates during four periods throughout the day.

She had been put directly in an adult cell, near all the other adults. Her cell mate was an odd one. Her skin was tainted white, like she'd worn Victorian makeup all her life.

She'd grown a respectful boundary with her acquaintance. Winnie never talked to her and she never talked to Winnie. But she would stare, nonetheless.

However, there was one time Winnie was put into solitary confinement because of her cell mate... But that's a tale for another time...

Back to the story, why not?

As I was saying, on a fateful social period, one day, the other girl took Winnie by the wrist and dragged her to the male half of the adult sector.

Winnie writhed in her grasp, but was too weak to breakaway. The girl took her to a man, sitting alone at a table. His face was tainted white like hers, near his eyes was black, and his mouth red. His hair was a green color.

He was the Joker.

"Jack, we have a guest." Winnie heard her mate's voice for the first time in the two years she'd lived with her. He looked up at he girl.

His dark eyes saw straight through her. Winnie didn't look at his maniacal smile, stretched farther by scars. She looked into his eyes, he had an army behind them, not to let anyone in.

"Jack!" The girl snapped at him, drawing attention. She looked around nervously and everyone resumed what they were doing. "Greet her." She said behind clenched teeth.

She hadn't let Winnie's wrist go, leaving bruises by now.

"Why so serious?" He asked calmly, his smile fading.

"You're the Joker, it's hard to not be serious when you're all the news ever talks about. Your death count, your sentence, your activity... It's tiring really." She became nonchalant and cool. The girl let her go and Winnie sat down across from the man.

"They're talking about my death count? Yes!" He hurrayed. "What are they saying it is? I wonder if they ever got it right..."

"116 killed, 34 permanently injured." She stated, she'd memorized the numbers. "At least that's what it was when I got in here, don't know if you killed anyone inside the asylum, though."

"They're not worth the time." He stated. He was pleased with her. "Harley, darling, why'd you bring-" he paused.

"Winnie."

"Winnie, right. Beautiful name." He looked back at the girl, Harley. "Why'd you bring Winnie to me?"

"She's smart. She could help us."

"How do you know I'm smart? We haven't talked the whole time I've been here." Winnie retorted. Harley stared at her.

"If she doesn't wish to talk to you, she doesn't have to. And vice versa." Joker interrupted. "She is smart, Har, good eye. Now, Winnie, was it? Right. Winnie, we're planning something grand. Here, come, walk with me." He stood.

Winnie stood, and joined him at the side. He rested an arm around her shoulders and left Harley with the rest of the boys.

"We're planning an escape. In three hours, we will break into the kitchen, turn all of the stoves and ovens on and burn this place to the ground! Maybe not to the ground, but a distraction to escape. It'll just be the three of us, unless others get lucky. You have to stand fast to us, you cannot flake. Can I trust you? Are you in?"

"Yes, of course. But how do you know I won't turn you in after?"

"I know you won't because of two things. One, you'd practically be turning yourself in too. And two, you idolize me. You wouldn't do that to your idol." He looked at her with a smile. "I'd hope not." She nodded.

"What about after Arkham?" She asked.

"After? Ah, yes." His arm dropped from her shoulders and he faced her. They were behind the cells now. "Would you like to work for me? I have a great little place called the Warehouse. It's a back up in case my villain career goes south. It's a little strip club, not much now, but it will be. So, would you like to work for me?"

"I won't strip."

"I know that, you're too smart. Can you be my treasurer? Maybe help with getting some treasure?" He smiled.

"Yeah, sure. I've got nothing better to do."

"Fantastic, we've got," he looked at his wrist, at the watch that wasn't there, "About two and a half hours." He looked at her and she smiled at his crazy. "I want a clean execution. This'll determine where you stand at work." He left her and she smiled.

When it came to be that time, the plan was carried out perfectly. She followed them to a taxi and the Joker paid the man to keep quiet. He dropped them off at the harbor and Jack and Harley ran to a warehouse, she followed blindly.

They opened the door to reveal a showroom full of half naked women and paying men.

"Jack?" One of the girls stopped. Then they all stopped to look at their entrance. "You're back!" She squealed and ran to him. They all crowded around him in their lingerie to greet him and update him on the business whereabouts. Harley rolled her eyes and walked passed Winnie to get a drink.

Winnie took it all in, the grandness of the place, the future income, all of it.

She was bad, and she liked it.