The Red Hood & The Red Head

Ch 3

Flashback

Joker and I exchange blows. He pulls out a knife as I reveal a smoke bomb dropping it on the ground. Gray smoke engulfing around us.

"Damnit!" Joker hisses as the smoke obscures his view.

I come out the smoke taking a swing at the lunatic with my crowbar but miss. He counters with his own swings, knife still in hand. He strikes my face but with my helmet on it barely leaves a scratch. I return a headbutt to his face breaking his nose and hit the knife out of his hand. He goes to punch me but I grab his right hand and yank it out.

"What the?-" I look down at the prop.

Joker uses this opportunity and kicks me back, I hit a wall hard then land on the floor.

"Ha! Gotcha." He says coming forward.

I quickly get up kicking him and knocking him back as I hit him in the face with the crowbar making him fall down with a groan.

"Sorry, was that rude?" I question, stepping forward in front of him and he growls on his knees as he wipes his nose of blood.

"I never did learn those manners." I add as I take off my helmet.  

He then gets a good look at me.

"Huh?" He mumbles before realization hits him.

"..One. Bad. Day. *laughter* Oh kid! You have done your Papa proud." He says proudly with his raspy voice.

"Batman? I doubt he would agree." I say pulling my gun out and aim at the clown with a click.

"Not that Papa. *motions to himself* This one. Look 'atcha! Gave up the gimmicks he gave ya and now you're the spittin' image of me!" He says making me clench my jaw.

"I took your gimmicks to draw you out and take you down! For what you did to me! And to him!" I grit.

"Ohh losing Batsy got me too, right in the ticker." He fist bumps his chest softly.

"Thought about hanging it all up until you rode into town. The timing, the irony, I knew there was a joke under that hood but I never saw this punchline coming. Who knew you were a natural born killer? Just like me.." The grin never leaving his face.

"I'm not like you! I. Don't. Kill." I say gripping the gun tightly in my hand.

"Don't. Be. Modest!" He emphasizes with a wave of his finger.

"I admire your work. Your entrance on the scene was one for the books baby. You co-opped the head of every crime syndicate in Gotham. By beheading their lieutenants! *laughter* Delightful! A+ material!" He praises.

I look down with furrowed eyebrows. As I remember the previous events and a whispered voice in my head saying "Kill them all".

"And the way you punched holes in Gotham's illegal trade lines..by blasting holes through the traders. Hilarious! Two thumbs up! *laughter* So good! You get all the points!" He gives two thumbs up as he continues to have a great time.

"No..I didn't- I couldn't..I promised Batman-

"Bu-bu- bu-bu- bu- Batman? *gasps* Wait a second...You actually don't remember. You've been repressing all of it! *laughter* That's the best joke I've ever heard! *motions to me* This isn't Batman. This isn't your inner demons. This is you. The deep down inside you...That day in Bosnia, it was your birthday. I got you ya crowbar, a little song, a little dance, a little dynamite in your pants and you were reborn! Ha-lle-lujah! Without your proud Papa Joker thata slap you on your ass. Without the Dark Knight going nighty night forever, you wouldn't be the fine upstanding, eyes open, gun tooting psychopathic survivor you are today! So admit it!..Who's your daddy?" He challenges darkly pressing his forehead against the barrel of the gun.