A/N: No, not multiple actual FLASH-es. Different kind of 'flash,' sorry. ENJOY!
Pandemonia dusts herself off and laughs as she steps away from the wall. Then she sighs and runs her fingers through her magenta hair.
"I wish our first kiss could have been a bit more romantic," she says to herself. She walks over and sits down at the table. She removes her mask and places it down, rubbing her throat with one hand.
"Romantic? Please, dear sister. No one needs romance from that red hippie."
Pandemonia turns towards the door and a smile spreads across her face as she sees her new visitor. "He's not a hippie."
The Joker's smile is as big as ever as he walks over to her. "I disapprove nonetheless. I'd really prefer if you went after Batsy. I always wanted him as a brother."
Pandemonia makes a face, "Please. No one as serious as that man is getting anywhere near me. I thought I was supposed to deliver said Bat to you in Gotham, anyway."
"You know me, I prefer presents in person." He smirks and nods his head towards the doorway. Chaos stands there, a recently knocked-out Batman at his feet. Pandemonia makes a face again.
"Why don't you simply remove his mask, brother?"
"And ruin the fun? No thanks!" Joker laughs and Pandemonia joins in. "You haven't removed the Flash's mask so far either. Can't you see all the fun you can still have?"
Pandemonia doesn't answer, but gestures to Chaos to take the Bat-boy away. Chaos grabs his cape and drags Batman behind him as he walks away. The Joker sits down across from Pandemonia and smiles widely at her, expectant.
"Was there something specific you needed, brother mine?" Pandemonia asks with a sigh, leaning back in her chair.
"I'm just here to check on you, Pandora," Joker says with a hint of seriousness in his tone. "You left Gotham unexpectantly and I haven't heard much from you." Pandemonia's lips twitch at the sound of her true name and she raises her eyebrows at him.
"I'm enjoying myself here; it's so fun to watch people fight over everything and run themselves ragged worrying. My usual chaos, you know." She smirks and the Joker smiles in return.
"Now that I have my present, did you need anything before I leave?" Joker asks, standing up and walking over to her.
"No, no. I would prefer that Chaos stays here, though. Do you really need him to transport Bat-boy?"
"Bat-boy?" Joker repeats, crinkling an eyebrow and smirking.
"Yes, that or Boy-in-the-cape." Pandemonia smirks and then says loudly, "Dystopia dear, bring me some tea please."
Dystopia pops her head into the room for a moment and nods, "Yes Mistress, right away."
"Personally, I think 'Batsy' fits him more, but then again I've known him longer. I can't expect everyone to get the joke. Have fun torturing the red hippie." He walks towards the door, and pauses when he reaches it. Then he turns back, "I won't need Chaos if you send those...whatever they were. Your little puppet men."
"That's fine," Pandemonia sighs. "Goodbye Alastor."
Joker laughs deeply at the sound of his name, knowing her using it was payback for earlier. He waves over his shoulder and walks out of the room.
Pandemonia closes her eyes and sighs loudly. As she waits for Dystopia's return, her mind begins to wander...
A familiar view. A horribly sickly familiar view. One she hated with a vengeance. It greeted her as she entered her mom's hospital room. It was another bad day; her mom was paler than normal, whatever treatment the doctors were trying today was obviously not working. Pain gripped Pandora's heart as she remembered the doctors shooting down her most recent idea. Why wouldn't they just listen to her?
"Pandi." Her mom's rough whisper sent her stepping quickly into the room.
"Mom." She said, quickly walking over to the bedside and taking her mom's outstretched hand. Her skin is ice cold and Pandora rubs it, hoping to increase the temperature. Her mom's eyes struggle to find her face and Pandora leans closer. Her mom's eyes fill with tears as her rough voice
"I have to tell you something...."
"Mistress?"
Dystopia's voice jerks Pandemonia out of her flashback.
"Thank you my dear, that will be all for now." Pandemonia says dismissively with a nod. Dystopia bows and then walks away. Pandemonia picks up her mug and sips her tea. She nibbles on a biscuit for a moment.
"Mistress, you should let me look at that." Chaos voice sounds behind Pandemonia. She turns towards him and smiles.
"Look at what?" Pandemonia motions for him to sit next to her. Chaos pulls his chair close to hers and sits. Then he places a gentle hand on her neck. He presses softly on it.
"Any pain?" He asks, continuing to examine it.
"No." Pandemonia lies, ignoring the needles of pain that follow his very light touch.
"I swear next time I am going to rip his arms off." Chaos growls under his breath as he finishes his examination and leans back. He folds his arms over his chest and frowns at her.
"But then, how will he hold me?" Pandemonia says in a fakely-sweet voice.
"We can always sew his arms back on. Or give him new ones. Just as long as he doesn't bruise you again." Chaos says, standing. "I'm getting ice for that. And a few pain pills." He pats her on the head before he heads for the door.
"Actually," Pandemonia says before he reaches the doorway. He turns to see her walking towards him with the tray, her mask hanging from her belt loop.
"Yes?" He takes it from her before she can protest. She unties the mask and puts it on the tray. Chaos glances at it.
"I was planning to go see my old apartment. A little road trip down memory lane." She walks past him and he follows her.
"That's not the best idea..." He starts, hesitantly; she glares at him. "At least let me escort you." He glances at the mask on the tray again. "It's not well for you to be out alone."
"Fine," she sighs. "But while we are away, I need Dystopia to prepare some of our friends for the next phase of the plan."
"Yes, Mistress. Why don't you meet me at the door and I'll go tell her?"
"Yes, yes. Whatever." Pandemonia waves her hand at him and turns to walk the other way. He pauses, glancing at her, before continuing on his way.
Pandemonia's legs walk without her direction as her mind is filled with questions.
Why do I want to go back there? She asks herself, confused. She hadn't visited that place since...Victor's death.
Victor...Who is Victor?
Her mind races as she grasps at gaps in her memory. Now she definitely needs to visit her old apartment.
She blinks and finds herself at the front door of the warehouse. She refuses to wait for Chaos. He shouldn't know where she is going. And she doesn't need a bodyguard.
She pushes the door further open and steps out into the chilly evening. As she brushes her hair behind her ear, she heads towards the apartment she hasn't seen for over a year.
