Teen Titans: A New Friend or Foe (completed)

What's in a name?

It was late in the night in Jump city. In Slades hideout was Slade himself and the Joker. They were discussing the wonderful demonstration Jester had gave them.

"You've trained him well, he fights like his master" Slade said sitting in a chair. He gestured for Joker to have a seat as well.

"I've trained him since he was able to stand." Joker stated and sat "Now I have nothing of use to teach him, that's why we're discussing this right now"

"That may be true. Although my fighting style is different, I have a few tricks up my sleeve he'll like...I can teach them fairly easy as long as he listens and accepts the fact you're handing him to me now." Slade said without a feeling of sympathy.

"He will listen, and if he doesn't..." Joker cracked a smile and chuckled "Oh, hell with it! I can't say it out loud it won't be good" he was still smiling "I'll write them down for you. When he doesn't listen or makes a mistake, he'll fix the problem but you might need to "whip" him into shape, he should know better, so it'd be best to not hold back while punishing him." Joker leaned back into the chair.

"That reminds me...when exactly did you get him to be your apprentice?" Slade asked

"Ahhhh, his backstory well I got him about.....12, no 13 years ago. A snobby, rich pushover was adopting a child to "promote" his social status. So to screw around with him I stole the kid, I was gonna ditch him but I saw something. I saw potental in him, so I kept him and the rest is history."

Slade leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and intertwined his fingers. "What about growing up? Did he have difficulties? Uncommon training? How did he handle his punishments?" He asked growing more curious

"When he was 5 we started training..."

= Gotham city, 9 years ago, Jokers Hideout=

"Come on Jester, move!" Joker shouted at the very young looking boy

"S-sorry" the young Jester spoke "It's really high....if I fell I'd get hurt"

"I'll be here. If you're going to do missions for me then you'll have to learn this obstical course" Joker replied

The little boy hesitantly climbed onto the set. It was a bunch of what looked like boxes, but it was more like a gym. In the center there was two 15 foot walls, 8 feet apart with nothing but a bar hanging in the middle. Part of the course was marked with cones and neon tape, marking a path for a simple gymnast training of some sort.

"Ready?" Joker said to Jester, and received a nod in response. "Go!"

A timer on a monitor began counting. 1...2...3...4. Once the word came out of Jokers mouth Jester took off, leaping over blocks and rails. He ran as if his life depended on it, knowing Joker wouldn't be pleased if he slowed. Jester leaped, -to him what seemed like 3 feet- grabbing a rope and swinging across and up, letting go, he landed on a platform with a latter. He climbed it as quick as possible. When he reached the top his gaze shifted to Joker, watching with anticipation. Was he going to do it? Was he going to jump onto the 15 foot wall and make the jurastic leap, grab the bar and swing to safety to the other wall and be finished with this crazy excersise? With the seconds adding to a minute and a half he decided. He ran faster than ever, jumped and grabbed the two rock like objects screwed into the wall, and began to climb. He reached the top, his heart thumping fast. Joker watched carefully, noticing Jester was hesitating.

"Come on! Jump or I'll-" Joker choked back the few words he was going to say when Jester unexpectedly ran and jumped across the daring space. Joker watched carefully as time seem to slow.

Jester reached out for the bar. He felt his heart thump loud in his ears as his wrist slammed against the metal of the bar. Joker ran forward to catch the falling boy. With speed and luck, he did.

Joker opened his mouth to criticise, but stopped once he felt the boy trembling in his arms.

"Let's do it again, I'm sure you won't fall this time"

-Jump City, Present, Slades Hideout, 12:26 am-

"Did he eventually pass the course?" Slade asked

"Yes, The next day. From then on there's been more difficult training sessions, multiple accidents, most of them were serious, a few shattered bones." Joker stated

Slade nodded and leaned back into the chair. "Did he ever fail your expectations? What did you do?"

"Well," Joker began "Every once awhile, but he was young. I started enforcing punishment once he was 7. Every time he disobeyed I'd give him a little shock" Joker smirked showing his insane side

"I see, he's very obedient then" Slade said to Joker bringing the logic back to him. "One more thing, then we'll be ending this conversation"

"Yes?"

Slade straitened his poster. "I noticed you never shared his name. Do you always call him 'Jester' or does he have a first and last name?"

Joker stiffened at the words Slade said, then stood.

"Well, yes he does have a name. He despises it though...I only called him by his name once and that was when he wasn't insane, he threatened to leave. Jester....often teeters on the border of sane and insane, but use his real name once he'll snap completely."

Slade stood meeting Jokers gaze
"Will you tell me?"

"If I do, one condition."

"Yes?"

Joker looked at Slade as if all cards were on the table.
"Use it only if he disobeys greatly or makes a serious threat."

Slade nodded

Joker took a long breath before he finally spoke
"His name, is Liam. But it's his last name he despises"

Slade stood still, crossing his arms, looking at Joker
"What's his last name?"

Joker raked his hands through his hair and exhaled slowly
"Wayne. His names Liam Wayne."

((Hope you guys liked the chapter! Hopefully you can see the story in forming *cough cough* Bruce Wayne relation *cough* ))