How Far We've Come [Open]

[manhunter]

He was now pretty much carrying on two conversations. One private with Barbara alone and the other. Of course open with both of them he had done many conversations like this. In his time, but he knew this was new to Barbara. He chose to not speak to her mind again for two reasons. One was to make it easy for her cause he had learned.

That thinking one thing, but speaking another took time to learn. An though he was sure Barbara could handle it. He thought it might cause er to headache. His second reason of course being that the doctor was to sharp. An may catch on to what was going on so he simply. Did the ok sign with his hand hiding it with his body so only she saw it.

He couldn't help, but smirk a little as he heard Leland. Speaking of people fighting crime in a mask. It caused him to think that he fought crime as himself. An wore a mask to live his life, but then he thought. About how he would like to meet the Joker and wondered. "Doctor by the way is Joker currently free?"

[k]

[/b] she said. Half true, at the very least. None of them would be nearly as determined without Batman driving them forward - would Dick and herself even have chosen this life without Batman's influence? Perhaps. It seemed somewhat unlikely though. "Batman is more than a vigilante in a mask. Batman is a symbol," Babs reminded her. "And whilst he operates in this city, as a masked vigilante, he's devalueing the hard work of the Police Department. The real heroes are the men brave enough to show their faces when catching criminals." Babs knew why Batman chose to hide behind a mask, even more so now he had so much to lose. She did too - as did everyone who fought behind a mask. But it was, as Babs said, a symbol. Batman was hope - hope for Gotham. A man couldn't symbolise that, but an anonymous figure was beyond that, beyond the confines of humanity. Batman was an asset to Gotham, and not the annoyance her civilian self was allowing herself to present.

Babs noticed J'onn's small gesture and she shot him the smallest of smiles, and held her books close to her. She was taken aback by his sudden line of questioning regarding the Joker, and she answered before she had even the time to process the information.
"Yes, he's free," Babs replied, darkly, realizing that this probably wasn't public information. She glanced at Joan and then down at her books. "My dad... he told me," she added quickly. "Things like this... they're always a blow for Gotham's Police Department - I'm sure you can understand that, Detective," Babs said, glancing in J'onn's direction. [/ul]

[Joan Leland]

Joan wasn't exactly a normal civilian, so far her views had been pretty positive towards the city's vigilantes but a normal civilian would never normally meet such vigilantes or the worst of Gotham's insane criminals. Joan was willing to forgive a lot if it got people like the Joker off the streets without a massive amount of casualties. So long as the job was done and everyone was alive and unharmed Leland didn't much care who got the credit for it, even if they all did seem of slightly questionable sanity by sneaking around in costumes.

However, to the best of Joan's knowledge she was speaking to a cop who blamed Batman for the Joker and the Commissioner's daughter who worried about the police getting over shadowed. They were fair points, no one really knew how the Joker actually came to be the Joker and the papers were hardly full of stories of the police when there were masked heroes swinging from building to building at night. Perhaps they did do more harm than good, the harm was certainly done now though and Joan tried to keep believing having Batman and the rest of them around wasn't necessarily a bad thing while they were on the side of good.

She doesn't voice all of her thoughts, choosing to nod to Babs' words instead "Yes, a symbol" usually one of hope she preferred to think "We could have worse ones but if he does do something wrong he's not going to be easy to hold accountable. I do worry what will happen if he decides to turn and join the criminals, the peace does feel like it's in their hands sometimes...Not that I don't believe the police couldn't handle everything if it did happen of course"

She looks back to John at his question, surprisingly calm considering the nature of the question but she's a Doctor, not a security guard. There is a small frown but it comes at any mention of the Joker and nothing good ever comes from him being free. Another nod as Babs answers for her "A blow to the security at Arkham too of course. No one was killed during the escape this time thankfully but I don't envy the difficult job our head of security has" nor does she think the head of security does a good enough job though, there are just too many escapes.

[manhunter]

John would nod to them both, but his nodding lingered. A bit as he eyed Barbara as if agreeing to her unspoken thoughts, but he frowned a bit too. Then took a breath before answering again glancing to both ladies as he spoke. "Indeed your both correct of course when it comes to the Batman and the problems. He may or may not be responsible for and even if his not directly responsible. He seems to me the type that takes responsibility for them anyway.

I saw him once before I joined the force here. An he seemed to have the full weight of Gotham City on his shoulders. It's why I chose Gotham when a spot opened up here." He paused then thinking to himself if he wasn't giving to much away. An in the same moment realized he had not explained. Why he was asking about the Joker or why he didn't already know for that matter.

"As for why I was asking about the Joker. I've been away from the station for a month of R and R. Forced cause of a gun shot wound an I know a little about Psychology. An the Joker's brain would be extremely interesting brain. To try and pick at, but not if his free of course unless I had a death wish." He was sure they didn't let just anyone in to see such a dangerous patient.

It was still why he had hoped the clown was in Arkham. Cause even if they wouldn't let him in as John Jones. He could get in easily as the Martain Manhunter and test there security as well.