#i also left this in undetermined verse in case you were more comfortable/wanted to use other verses!

[bllakcat]

SHE IS USED TO CHAOS, : IT IS HER VERY NATURE TO BLAME : how she seeks danger after another, &. facing it all with 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐊. reckless, foolish, impossible ... these complaints she is used to hearing : yet it makes it all so much sweeter, when she makes them swallow those words. MAKING IMPOSSIBLE ODDS POSSIBLE, THAT IS HER FORTE. ... there is something so familiar, in this moment, in her. many similarities detected in her nature, her mannerisms ... yet they are not voiced. 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄 observes, back leaning against the wall as arms are folded over her chest. she amuses the moment, allowing the other to let out her frustrations. she wonders if reminds of her father now, when she took the role of the learner. ❝ alright kitten, slow down. ❞ she calls with an exhale, gaze momentarily coming to close with it.

ONCE JADE GREEN HUES REVEAL THEMSELVES ONCE MORE, : THEY ARE FOCUSED ON HER! ❝ this is the moment where we follow our instincts. ❞ 𝐈𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐖𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇, but her words had an effect. @waraningyo ' my instincts are what got me into this mess. ' ... MERCILESSLY, she allows silence to stretch. but then comes her sigh, so effortlessly non - chalant. ❝ it did. ❞ WHITE VEIL IS NOT CASTED, truth is spoken. ❝ but what else can you count on? ❞ 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 : to be shamelessly yourself, confident &. resilent. she speaks from experience, but does not make it obvious. ❝ sometimes, the enemy gains an upperhand. but that is no reason to lose confidence in yourself and your way to think. ❞ a pause is held, as she pushes her back away from the wall, clicks of her heels echoing as SHE APPROACHES! ... ❝ if we would follow every rule set and ignored our own instincts, the enemy would have already come up with plans from a to z how to win. ❞ SPOKEN EARNESTLY SOMEONE WHO FOLLOWS ONLY RULES OF HER OWN!

[violetsmoak]

no safety or surprise [0/?]

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18035168/chapters/42616919

Blanket Disclaimer

Summary: A haunting broadcast reveals the Joker’s final act and sets off a chain of events that will destroy the world. Terry finds himself collaborating once more with the estranged members of Bruce’s former team. As the end nears, however, he and the other Bats are faced with hard choices about survival—and forgiveness.

Rating: T (may change depending on the amount of graphic/details I decide on)

Spoilers: Everything in Batman Beyond animated series and comics until but not including the “Rewired” storyline or anything afterward. Also, references to events and characters present in the DC ‘verse up to the New 52 (after the “Robin Rises” story arc) but before Rebirth. (And JFC do I hate keeping all these timelines straight!)

Timeline: Takes place after the events of 10 000 Clowns

Beta Reader: None at the moment.

Warning: Will lead to eventual canon-divergence; character deaths (sort of), a few minor original characters (and some canon characters that were never really fleshed out on screen/in the comics); multiple POV. THIS IS SETTING UP TO BE THE FIRST PART OF A SERIES.

The style used in this chapter is not indicative of the style of the rest of the fic; you can even skip it and read the next chapter first before this one; I just put it at the beginning because this is very short and works better as a prologue than it's own chapter...as you'll see with the much longer next chapter :P

M         O         R          N         I           N         G         S          T          A         R

The screen flickers, wavering between static and images. White noise competes with music clips from several songs, before settling on a lazy, melancholy carnival tune.

The words HA HA HA paint themselves across the screen, and then with another burst of static, disappear, revealing a man with a pale face and unnaturally wide smile. The screen shakes as if the person holding the camera has an unsteady hand.

“Hell-O World! It’s your favorite rascal, Uncle J! Coming to you—well, not so much alive, but still—heh—still kicking!” the man chuckles at his own joke, the camera shakes as it zooms out to show him executing several high-kicks that would not be out of place in a music hall or chorus line.

As if a switch flips, the man tucks his arms in and adopts a sombre expression and manner.

“If you’re seeing this message, I’m stone dead,”  he says, and then brings his hand to his forehead as if too swoon, “I know, I know what you’re all saying. ‘He was so handsome, so brilliant, you never really got a chance to know him!”

The face cuts out, overlaid with black-and-white clips from an I Love Lucy rerun—

“Are you sick?”

“Sick, I’m dead!”

“Oh, that’s right.”

—and then back to the man. “I don’t know if it was an accident, or old age or—heh—maybe our favourite Bat finally grew a pair and offed me! Straaaaaaanger things have happened.” He trails off into a short fit of laughing. “Whatever the case, I have passed on—no more—kicked the bucket and shuffled off this mortal coil and gone to meet my maker!”

M         O         R          N         I           N         G         S          T          A         R

The screen flips back to the rerun.

“I burned myself. It’s awfully hot in here.”

“Oh, that’s where you are! Oh, I’m so disappointed in you…”

“But down cry for me, ladies and germs—and those of undetermined nature, of course. Gotta be politically correct these days! Or at least in my day, heh…”

High pitched, canned laughter echoes in stereo, and the screen shows a closeup of a hand holding a fan of fifteen playing cards, all Jokers.

“The fun is far from over,”  the man continues gleefully. “You didn’t think your old pal Joker would leave you without a parting gift, didja? A last hurrah? The final word? Come on, people, I was meant to go our with a BANG!” He arranges his hands to form finger guns. “And so, in case I have the misfortune of expiring in a more, shall we say, mundane manner, I’ve arranged a little encore to send myself off in style!”

His image is overlaid with that of a young girl making an L-shape on her forehead, which morphs into footage of the atomic bomb going off in Hiroshima.

M         O         R          N         I           N         G         S          T          A         R

“And here you have it! My cherry on the sundae! My parting shot, my…magnum opus! To say a proper goodbye to all you fine folks in the audience!” His voice drops low and sinister. “And I do mean all…”

The screen brings up a giant clock, its minute finger hitting midnight.

The man is all smiles and bounding energy again.

“This joke is dedicate to your very own media darling since it’s allll thanks to him that any of this was possible! Always thank your service providers, folks!”  he leans in and leers at the camera. “Hear that, Brucie? I still hope you’re alive and kicking! Because if not, this is gonna be a lot less funny!” He straightens up, considers and grins. “Well. Not a whole lot. It’s still hilarious. Because I’m already pushing up daisies—” The cold demeanor returns, slow and calculated. “And I’m still going to rip apart everything you’ve built up.”

There’s a close-up on a smiley-face button, a red splotch of blood dripping onto it.

“And the best thing about it is, it’s a done deal! You’ve all been had! And you didn’t even know it!”

This is the end, Jim Morrison sings.

“Though, I suppose you’ll all start to understand what I’m saying right…about…” he looks at a comically large wristwatch.

Beautiful friend,

“…NOW!”

This is the end.

The man cackles and makes a theatrical bow. “Exit, Joker, Stage left!”

My only friend, the end.

The screen is once more embossed with the haphazardly painted HA HA HA.

M         O         R          N         I           N         G         S          T          A         R

There is static.

And then nothing.

I want to know what you think of my story! Leave kudos, a comment or if writing comments isn't something you're comfortable with, as many of these (or other emojis) as you want and let me know how you feel!

❤️️ = I love this story! 😳 = this was hot! 💐 = thank you for sharing this 🍵 = tea spilled 🍬 = so sweet and fluffy! 🚔 = you’re under arrest! the writing’s too good! 😲 = I NEED THE NEXT CHAPTER 😢 = you got me right in the feels

Next Chapter