The Mechanic and The Clown (Robert Downey Jr/The Joker)

Chapter 8

He hadn't had an incident for two months now, since the ordeal he had to go through in the fight against Loki with the Avengers. He figured he'd got a lid on it and managed to control the 'other guy'.
However, all this effort amounted to nothing when the time since an incident dwindled to down to zero again....

"You're tiptoeing big man you need to strut!"

"Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?"

"You know damn well why now back off."

"Dull creature..."

"A mindless beast, makes play he's still a man.."

All these voices rung through his head, as the change began...

It started with a green tinge in his usually brown eyes and spread over his body, " the other guy was taking over....

Tonys Point of View:

I stepped out of the jet, and met by the warm Australian breeze brushing past my face.
I had something important to do here, I was going to meet a friend, the only person who I could ask to help me with this mess, Bruce Banner.
I heard about his little temper tantrum a while back, it was a few months after the whole New York escapade, just your normal run-of-the-mill venting, except with an enormous green rage monster. But that was good! He couldn't just keep it bottled up inside, that would have made it worse. Now he had got it all out of his system. We all our ways dealing with what had happened and The Hulk, or as Banner calls him 'The Other Guy', was his.

At least he wasn't near anyone when lost control though, that would have been a nightmare to sort out...

"Nice place you got here, could do with a little fixer upper," I began, once I found and stepped foot into where Bruce had been living for the past year or so. It wasn't special, a place in the least populated part of Australia, complete with a sea view! I'm not one for all that' 'Hello' 'Goodbye' nonsense, and well, following isn't really my style.

"Tony," Bruce smiled, pleased to see me standing there. "How'd you get in?"

"Intruder Window," I joked, softly laughing, "your door was unlocked."

"So what's wrong? I got your message, you sounded kind of urgent, please don't tell me you want another 'therapy' session, you remember what happened last time?" Bruce cut straight to the point, that's what I liked about him, he was a straight shooter.

"What when you fell asleep you mean?" I jokingly raised an eyebrow at him, crashing on the couch, it had been a long journey. Bruce sat on a lounger opposite me, replying with the same humour, "I drifted."

"Well this time it's different." I began having second thoughts, was Bruce the right person I should be bringing into the game? Knowing his temperament, not exactly, but he was all I got. Besides, he was the only one I could trust and to be honest I need a friend and a fellow genius on board. Anyway, his last incident wasn't recently plus it was in a controlled environment. The way I saw it, Bruce fit the bill perfectly.

"Been hearing the news from back home Banner? particularly from California?" I questioned, hinting there was something big going on.

"Nah, I tend to stay from it if I can," he stated nice and calmly, "why? Does it involve you?"

"Yeah," I breathed, tilting my head back and placing my hand over my eyes for a few seconds. After a deep breath I sat forward in the direction of Bruce, "and this guy, called the Joker."

"I've heard of that guy!" Bruce surprisingly interrupted. He knew of the Joker? "Wasn't he the one who burnt down Gotham with chaos? I wouldn't want to cross his path on a bad day. His minds crazier than Loki's!"

"Well now I'm in his firing line," I sighed, I couldn't let the Joker win, "He's destroyed my life and I want to get it back."

"It's not going to be easy," that was obvious, but I mean come on, really, how much things in life can you say actually are easy? "You can't really do it alone Tony."

"I won't be alone." I paused, looking in his eyes, encouraging him to help me, "I'll have you."

"Me?"

"Of course! You must be bored out of your mind here, literally the middle of nowhere. Admit it, you miss the action!" I continued egging him on, I could tell he was tempted. We were after all, both Avengers. I trusted him, he was a good friend, he even saved me when I was falling unconscious through the sky after the wormhole closed, need I mention that he was in his 'Hulk' form when did this? I was a fan of him before we met anyway, he is a genius, like a twenty first century version Einstein, Newton and Hawking rolled into one. I marvelled at his work on anti-electron collisions.

"Strangely enough I do."

"Then you'll join me? Come on Banner, I need you!"

"Sure, it's not like the problems going to go away if we don't do anything about it." Bruce was all about keeping the world safe, I wouldn't expect anything else from him, he was a good sort.

"Great," I clapped raising myself up from the couch. I was ready, I had no idea where he was or what games he was going to try an pull, but what I did know was that The Joker was going to regret ever toying with me...

(Authors Note: surprise! Tonys good friend Bruce Banner has come to help his fellow science bro!

I had to have Bruce in this story, he's my favourite avenger after Tony Stark (of course!)

This chapter was quite fun to write! Hope you all liked it too!

Don't forget to comment your thoughts on this chapter :)

(PS. If any of are Loki fans you might want to check out my fanfic Loki of Asgard) )