Jason Todd's Daughter

The Jokes On You

     She was choking on spit and blood, the metallic red substance kept flooding into her mouth no matter how much she spat it out.
      Arya bit down on her lip to keep herself from screaming. The pain was wracking her body in waves with every inch she crawled away from the psychotic clown.
      Trailing after her was swathe of Arya's blood, staining the floor and creating a path of red as the chain dragged behind her, keeping her from escaping the Joker's fun.
      "Still think you're gonna survive????? Haha, you, are just like the last Bat I killed. Stubborn till the end!" The Joker cackled.
       Walking up to the fallen hero he kicked her in the side, causing Arya to grunt as she tumbled across the floor.
      Tim watched in horror as the Joker took out his knife and bent over Arya. "I think it's time for a momento. Whaddya say darling?"
       Grabbing her hair once again, he held the young heroine still as he carved a miniature J into her earlobe, tilting her head he carved a matching one on the other ear.
       Releasing her hair the Joker took a step back to admire his handiwork. Fresh blood trickled from the two J's. "Beautiful! I'm truly an artist!"
     "You're sick!" Tim shouted, struggling to escape the chain attached to his foot. This chain was about a foot long keeping him on the other side of the room, unable to save his neice from the psycho's devices. The Joker had also added handcuffs making escaping that much harder for the Robin.
      Joker shrugged, "Was there ever any doubt?"
     Peering down at Arya's bloodied form his eyes lit up with sheer madness found only in Gotham's worst .
      "Weeeeellllllllllll, hate to be a buzz kill and end the party but," he aimed the gun at the young Todd's heart, "I got a curfew ya know?"
      Arya's eyes widened in fear, "W-what?"
     "Like I said sweetheart, I got things to do, places to be, people to kill! I'm sure you understand!"
       His finger reached for the trigger but halted when Tim shouted, "NO WAIT!"
      "What is it bird brain? I'll deal with you in a minute, yeesh, wait your turn."
       "Let her live, she's bleeding out anyway, she'll die soon as it is!" Tim pleaded desperately.
       The madman rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Ya know, you're right."
       Tim's eyes widened with hope, but his hope was short lived.
        Joker lifted the gun to his cheek, tapping it gently. "But, you bird brain are in perfect health. Heh, can't have that now can we?!"
       Within a split second he had aimed and fired. The bullet hit Tim dead in the chest.
     "NOOOOOO!" Arya screamed as Tim's legs gave way and he fell to his knees, and then to the floor. Blood beginning to coat the outside of his Robin suit. Staining the bright red with a much more sinister color.
     "History always repeats itself! Didn't your mama ever tell you that sweetcheeks?"
     "You're despicable!" Arya hissed through her teeth, the blood staining her normally white canines.
     The Clown's smile grew, "The Jokes on you Doll, because I live to be despicable! Oooh, I even laced the bullet with Scarecrow's fear gas so as he dies he'll experience his worst fears!"
     Tim's breathing faltered, causing a loud gasp to escape his lips, dragging Arya's attention away from the King of Crime.
     Chuckling, the Joker looked at her in mock pity, "As much as I truly loooovveee drama, I love dramatic exits more! Toodles! Hahahahah! His voice echoed as he walked out of the warehouse without a care in the world.
      With a audible clench of her teeth Arya swallowed her pained cries. Forcing herself to stumble over to Red Robin on unsteady legs. Which gave out.
      Collapsing onto her knees beside  Tim, she mentally thanked the dumb henchmen for making the chain attached to her leg two feet longer than the chain around Tim's.
     As she placed her hand on the bullet wound, she applied as much pressure as she could, frowning as it only stopped a bit of the blood flow.
    "Tim, I'm so sorry, so so sorry. Hang in there, please... I'm sorry," over and over again she chanted this; while tears slipped down her face. Some from the pain, some for the boy in front of her.
      "Ari," he smiled weakly. "It's okay... I'm fine. Been through worse."    
      "Speaking of," he wheezed, "you really shouldn't be straining yourself, you can barely sit up as it is."
      "Why would he do this?!" As Arya whispered, anger dripping through her voice as she completely ignored his precaution.
       Tim, in spite of the bullet near his heart, gave her a 'for real' look. "He's literally a psychopath who has murdered hundreds before, and you, are asking why he would shoot someone?"
      She grimaced, "Now is really not a good time for being a smartass."