Never Tickle The Sick Clown [Nightwing]

[The Joker]

The Clown Prince of Crime wasn't feeling well. The world was turning grey, colorless, a part of him liked it because it reminded him of Bats, but the clown wanted to have a colourful and funny life. That was why Joker visited the little near city, Bludhaven wasn't like Gotham...no fun stuff here...but this was the right place to find a cure to whatever what's happening to him. Joker's body was a battlefield of chemicals elements, the acid bath changed him, people would die if they fell in the bath of chemicals instead Joker survived, but surviving his body changed.

Joker didn't know what changed this time, but whatever it was, well, it was hurting him, body and mind...no soul though. Joker rubbed his eyes and sighed looking at the vials in front of him. He had been working for five days straight, no sleeping, no eating and he almost drank one of the vials...well, the clown found the last part very funny really. And the vials talk too sometimes, that was funny too, the hallucinations were always funny. For example, one moment Joker was wearing his suit, but then just few hours ago the suit changed into Bat's costume, Joker scared his henchmen when he started laughing suddenly for several minutes and stopped when he saw his purple suit again.

"Boss..." the Joker didn't reply because he believed it was another hallucination, the last time it was and...ehehehe...the clown started laughing a little thinking about that, killing his own henchmen could be hilarious even if only in his sick hallucinations. However, the henchman coughed noisily to catch Joker's attention and the clown rose a brow mixing some stuff in the vials "Ehm...Boss..." Joker sighed annoyed by the henchman's reluctance, but the henchman was like that because his boss was more unpredictable than the crazy-usual "WHAT!? If you have something to say then say it! Don't waste my time! If I don't like it, I'll just make a hole in your head...don't worry...there is nothing there anyway...HAHAHA!" the clown didn't really like wasting time because he didn't know how much time his illness was already taking away "The sensors gave has feedback about some movements in the north area..B-Boss!" Joker was in a big factory, ideal for mixing and creating stuff "On the screen" Joker re-arranged the place and now there were some tv screens all around the factory "Mhhh..." the screen showed the north atrio and the outside garden, but nothing was there "Be on guard, now go" the Joker ordered simply without making jokes and the henchman nodded while Joker returned to work.

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Joker came to the wrong town to think he could make this his new stomping ground to continue his work of terror to get a laugh out of it. This turf didn't belong to Batman. This was Nightwing's town, and nothing happened in his city without him hearing of the new actions. He had some friends in low places. Connections was a good way to run sometimes.

And Bludhaven was under his protection. Joker wasn't going to waltz on into town and start stirring up trouble like he did in Gotham. No, not on Nightwing's watch.

He was able to get more information, at least on location. There was a lack in information as far as why Joker was there. No need to think it was a permanent change of scenery. Even if it was a temp situation, Nightwing would not allow it.

That night, he was headed straight for the source of the problem. To the Joker himself.

The old warehouse was a no brainer for a hide out. There were so many of them in this town, it was not uncommon to find a lot of homeless even staying in these locations. Through the information Nightwing received, it was just the situation he needed. Joker would be traveling on his own. Maybe a handful of thugs. No word on Harley follow after him.

A sure fine sign that Joker was taking this as a walk in the park coming into this town.

Nightwing started off at the North end. He had noticed the small newly installed camera in operation as he had approached.

He knew better than that. An arial attack then. Take out the goons from behind, then he'd for the source of the problem.

Like clockwork, the goons were being sent out. Nightwing hit toward the front of the building. Hanging from an old fire escape from the building he waited. And when the goons had him no longer in line of sight, he made his move. Hopping down from the escape and having his escrima sticks in shock mode.

He wasn't playing around.

[The Joker]

Joker was too busy with his work. But, he was close. This was it. The cure. It's was true that everything what's happening in his mind, but at the same time his mind was changing his body so he needed something to balance things out. And he was finding this something. So, he couldn't waste his precious time. Smoke started coming out from one of the vials, purple smoke, for Joker it even had a nice smell like mint, but the others would die if they smelled it. Joker liked it even more.

The clown started coughing while the intercome went on, but the Boss didn't listen to what they were saying. He wasn't interested, all his attention was on the vial, the cure. His body was tired and sick, but not for long. Joker drank the vial, it burned his throat and tongue, but it had a nice flavor, strange for a chemical mixture. For few minutes nothing happened, but then the clown wounded his hand crashing the vial in his hand, blood stained his white glove and purple sleeve. Joker burst into laughter, he was laughing so much that he fell onto the ground. The noise of his laughing was audible even from the outside, in fact the intercom was on so Joker was broadcasting everywhere in the building. Nice background music. The henchmen stopped patrolling and looked at eachother not knowing what to do, this kind of laughing was too much even for their Boss.

Joker couldn't stop laughing, his body was laughing by its own. He was laughing so much that it was harming him. At least the vial's contents were doing something, but it was too early to say what exactly. For now, he was just laughing, tears coming down on his white cheeks. The henchmen in the room with the Joker were staring at their Boss "Something is happening, something bad, we should do something!" one of the henchman started walking slowly towards the Joker and stopped at arm distance, but it was too close already. Joker grabbed the henchman's ankle so the henchman lost his balance and fell on the ground, Joker started chocking the henchman, but then stopped and pushed his thumbs against the henchman's eyes. The poor henchman started crying blood and cried of pain, the other ones couldn't know what to do...they didn't want to shoot at their Boss!

Outside the henchmen ran inside and stared at their Boss while he was poking some eyes out, still laughing. Pulling, the Joker took the henchman's eyes out. The clown looked at them for few seconds, still laughing, and then put them in front of his own eyes "Look at me! What big eyes you have...HAHAHA!" Joker quote Little Red Riding Hood, still laughing. Joker smashed the eyes into his palms, now the gloves were all red, blood red. The clown wasn't wearing any lipstick, so he passed a bloody finger onto his lips and cheeks in a shape of a smile. Still laughing.

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

The bone chilling laugh of the Joker echoed out to the dock yard as the goons seemed rather panicked over the sound. Nightwing wondered what was going on. The laughter continued on hardily.

Nightwing was curious as to what was so funny to the Joker at this time of day. Especially in the warehouse. He wasn't torturing anyone otherwise there would be a second set of lungs letting out a cry against the laughter. Yet there was nothing.

It wasn't until a few seconds later that there were cries of agony. The Joker's laughter grew over the pain he was now causing someone. And before Nightwing had a chance to strike the other goons patrolling...the two ran inside to see what was going on. That led Nightwing to assume, this was unexpected.

Falling back a bit, Nightwing stayed back off around a corner as he watched on. Following after the goons. They were too frazzled to realize someone else was there.

As soon as Nightwing was within the building, he took off to the upper flight of steps, taking to the rafters. It was then he heard the Joker. An eire sight below awaited the goons. There was a goon off to the side of the Joker, blood all over his face. And there was the Joker over top of him playing with something in his hands as he spoke.

It was then that Nightwing realized that they were eyeballs. He could figure who they belonged to. Though why, maybe the goon did something against the will of the Joker. Not quite the unexpected for Joker to do such a thing for his own amusement, creepy none the less.

Nightwing stayed back he saw the goons seemed rather still after witnessing the act of the Joker. The clown was still laughing. And Nightwing was listening. Soon he would drop in. Though what was this about?

[The Joker]

"This...stuff...is good!!! I'm telling ya...!!" Joker stood up and grabbed the vial trying to drink some more, but the vial was empty now so just few drops fell down on Joker's tongue. The clown licked his lips and he felt the sensation of the henchman's iron blood mixed with the taste of the drops. The Joker made a face, an unhappy one, wiping off the blood from his lips "This is not the blood I want...sorry mate, I only like bat-blood" Joker kicked the now passed-out and blind henchman.

The Joker rose a brow seeing his henchmen in front of him in a semi-circle like a herd of stockfish. A smile slowly showed up on his face, they looked so afraid, but at the same time they weren't going to shoot at him. Joker smirked a little and took a step closer, just a little tiny one. The henchmen took one back. Joker started laughing again. Hysterically.

The sensors beeped and another image showed up on the screens, this time was indoors. The clown gave his back to his henchmen to look at the screens. They were showing the same room where Joker was, he could even see himself in the screens. The clown waved "Hi, mom!!" he said the thing people were supposed to say when in camera randomly so he laughed. Humor that only he could understand actually, because it didn't make any sense.

The Joker observed the screens tilting his head, narrowing his green eyes, focusing on a screen in particular "Who is interrupting my playtime with my henchmen...?!" the clown pointed the screens "That sounded weird...HAHhhahaHAah!!" he started laughing again, but then stopped suddenly becoming serious, his smile gone.

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Shit...How had he been stopped. He knew where all the camera where and had used his tech to help knock out any of the surrounding ones with a wifi signal being sent out. What did the Joker do? Update the systems? Nightiwng would be shocked if Joker actually had someone computer literate on his team.

Nightwing had failed the number one stealth method of keeping out of sight and blending in. Joker had to have been expecting someone to show up. That or it was just back luck on Nightwing's part rather than being clumsy.

He had seen many disturbing things in his line of work. Though what the Joker could do...he seemed to always try to notch it up to the next level every time he had a run in with the bat-family.

What Nightwing had just witnessed was what the Joker did behind closed doors even for the people who worked for them. What was he paying these thugs or what did he have on them to keep him under his control? That was one question he had yet to really figure out at times. If you weren't safe from the Joker on the streets, you most certainly were not safe working for him either.

Joker probably still lacked the ability to see just how was in there. And Nightwing wasn't going to come down into sight just yet. The shadows were best. He could take out each henchmen one by one if he lore them his way.

He could tell the Joker was not pleased with the interruption. Often in his town, Nightwing was bold enough to step out and show himself and chat a bit. But the Joker, this was another level. You didn't just walk on into the Clown's grips.

Nightwing dodged out of the camera shot into another corner closer to where the Joker was.

[The Joker]

Joker kept observing the screens, frowning. He couldn't see anyone around, the cameras were just showing the rooms filled with henchmen and the sensors did not pick up the henchmen's movements because they knew where the sensors were and so they were careful to not active them. The boss didn't want to waste his time checking on them and surely the henchmen didn't want to upset the deadly clown.

Joker knew that someone was here, he knew that someone was trying to ruin his fun as always, nothing new about that, but...he wasn't upset about this, instead he was very excited. He could play a little more before leaving the city! That sounded like f...Joker started couching again, that wasn't fun at all.

The antidote was giving him a boost, but at the same time was taking it away at random. In those intervals, the clown was too tired and couldn't do much, but his henchmen knew the drill by now so they tried to protect him during these intervals. Like now, the clown had to sit down and relax a little bit, catching his breath. The henchmen around him were pointing their guns around, but standing in circle around their boss to protect him. The clown was well covered, but they were just henchmen after all. Joker took his revolver from inside the jacket pocket, ready to shoot.

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Nightwing watched as the tension of the clown was lowering. Watching as the thugs were now tensing up themselves. Knowing a fight was about to break out. There was no getting pass that. The clown had called it.

Waiting a few moments more in the darkness of the warehouse, Nightwing wanted to keep the upper hand for now. There was something off about the Joker. Usually there was more taunting towards intruders when he knew the were in his place.

Surprisingly, Harley wasn't around either. Maybe the two were taking a break or he left her in Gotham. He'd have to catch up with Batman on the statue of creeps of Gotham.

Joker was on his turf. Which broke down all of Batman's rules of fighting in his city. Joker had crossed the city line miles back and now he would have to answer to Nightwing.

The gun the Joker pulled out did not go unnoticed. Nightwing wasn't a deadhead. The smallest movements got his attention and he could still keep an eye on the rest of the playing field.

It was time. The circle was getting smaller. They were in range of each other and perfect time to make the first move.

Nightwing threw down several wingdings to knock out some guns from hands. And at the same time smoke pellets. That could short sight their view. And that was when Nightwing would strike.

Jumping down from his high perch, Nightwing began a game of taking out the thugs first as they could not seem him. He most certainly could see them and it played to his advantage,

[The Joker]

The smoke was a problem for his henchmen, but not for the psycho clown himself. Joker wore his 'x-ray' glasses so that the smoke wasn't a problem anymore. He could see clearly now, the smile never disappeared from his white face. Joker could see his henchmen's skeletons being taken down by Nightwing's skeleton. He didn't do anything, watching the show, but he started laughing, he couldn't help it. 

At some random point, while Nightwing was still taking down the henchmen, the Joker shot, but instead of Nightwing it was the henchman who fell on the ground, dead. It was on purpose, of course. The few henchmen still untouched by Nightwing ran away knowing that there was no save point this time, their Boss was completely bonkers. 

Joker shot again, this time he was aiming Nightwing "How many times has Batsy told you? Never play with me alone!" Joker laughed and shot, but a flag with BANG written on it came out instead, it wasn't something new, it was part of the gun how Joker designed it "Ooops!" he laughed again shaking his head and dropped the now useless gun, well, Joker could make it useful, but he was acting like he always does, always acting a part. 

"Sooooo...." Joker stepped back slowly and nervously, almost fell over a passed out henchman, but still, it was staged, Joker was playing the part of the poor villain who was about to get caught "....can we talk about this? Pleaseee..." he said with his hands before him in a peaceful gesture, but then he started laughing again when very sharp cards came out from his sleeves, some of them missed Nightwing and got stuck in the wall behind the vigilante. 

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Nightwing's eye mask provided the temperature vision of those around him. That was the advantage of technology, of course Nightwing could work without it as well. He had trained with blindfolds throughout his training. Right now, it was just a bit helpful. Though regardless of the techs help, he knew where the Joker was by sound. The gun firing off was enough to give away someone's location.

Staying swift on his feet, Nightwing would go to hit someone and at another moment someone dropped over dead. Nightwing could hear the impact of one of bullets as it hit a henchman of to his right, as he had been ready to strike him.

There was no envy for those that worked for the Joker. What did these goons get out of it? The sure were signing up for their death sentence.

The sickening mad man's laugh rung out over all around them. As the smoke fog become more of a mist, Nightwing was starting to get a clear view of the clown. Noticing the henchmen running for their lives...something was off about this. More so than usual with the Joker.

Joker's words were only there to taunt him. There was no way of deterring Nightwing from his word, regardless of Batman warning. Two reasons. One he was his own man. And two, this was his town.

Nightwing would move at a second notice if the gun had really set off any bullet. There was no telling with the Jokers.

Closing in, Nightwing was not taking this lightly. The Joker was a sick man, and had a twisted sense of humor.

Walking toward the clown, he knew this wasn't over. It was never that easy. "You came to the wrong town clown," Nightwing replied. And when Joker tripped up, this set Nightwing to see the slight of hand trick coming. With that cards came flying at him. Several, he noticed, were off the mark. The other few were pretty close to giving him a shave.

Nightwing managed to avoid them. And in turn threw a few wingdings at the Joker.

"What bring you to Bludhaven, anyway? Though you preferred Batman's company." Nightwing said.

[The Joker]

Joker laughed and grabbed a corpse using it as a shield against the wingdings, they stuck in the dead henchman chest. Suddenly, laughing could be heard from one of the other rooms, Joker smiled when the laughing stopped "Batman would have gone after them, kiddo" by that he meant that Nightwing didn't have enough experience against Joker, or better, not as much as Batman and that those henchmen had just died because of him, Batman would have saved them or at least made sure that nothing was gonna happen to them "But you are still learning, mistakes are forgiven, right?" the clown winked at him and laughed again throwing the corpse on the ground. 

"Yeah, I don't like this dump either, but ya know, sometimes you just have to go where the heart tells you to go" Joker put a hand in front of his chest in a very dramatic manner "Well, since you don't want to take lessons from Batsy anymore then I decided to come here and be your sensei!!" Joker bowed in japanese style. Of course this was a very sarcastic why of saying: Do you really think I'm gonna answer to that? 

Joker sighed putting away his glasses, there wasn't the need anymore. The clown didn't have time for this, he liked playing, but he also liked when his mind didn't try to kill him...mhh...that's not true...his mind was always up to something. The screen now showed the room where the henchmen had run to escape from the facility, there were a lot of corpses there with smiles on their faces "See how happy they are...??" Joker laughed seeing the screen then he looked back at the kiddo "Don't you want to be happy too?" the laugh stopped and Joker's voice was like a growl. 

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Nightwing grimaced as he looked on in the direction in which the Joker made mention of. Joker was right. He had made a mistake in telling that happen. He had over looked the lives of the henchman. That was one thing with the Joker, underestimating just how far he would go for a laugh.

Staying on his toes, he let the Joker continue talking. It wouldn't buy him much time, though it was best to keep options open as to any quick attacks. And knowing the Joker, this place was probably rigged already with all sorts of 'jokes' the Joker was waiting to release on anyone who came to disturb him. And that night, Nightwing just so happened to step into the Joker's den in Bludhaven.

A huge mistake on the Joker's part. Nightwing did not take lightly to unwelcome guests in his town if they started trouble. It was easy to see that the Joker was up to no good.

"You would earn that title in a million years, clown," Nightwing retorted to the Joker.

Nightwing looked up at the screen for a moment. And the Joker's tone had gone darker at that point. "I'll be happy when your butt is out of my town and back in Arkham," he replied.

At this point, Nightwing pulled out this escrima sticks again and spun them as he prepare for combat.

[The Joker]

To be honest, Joker liked talking especially because he liked the sound of his own voice, he wasn't insecure about himself, falling into an acid bath had erased his insecurity and also his past. The clown smiled at the kiddo's comebacks and also at his sticks. The Joker bowed a little with his arms at his sides in an elegant manner then he pushed a button on the console in front of the big screen.

Nothing happened for few seconds and the clown frowned "Ehm...mmmhhh..." Joker coughed a little, imitating an awkward coughing then he slapped the console to make it work. In reality, everything was working although it seemed like nothing was happening. Joker had just activated the silent alarm to lure the police to the factory.

Joker started laughing "Anything never works when you are interrupted by a bird!" yeah that made sense. Joker ran behind the console, there were packages with strange stuff in them. However, there was time for Nightwing to attack the Joker. The clown seemed too...harmless....it was a bad thing, the psycho clown was lots of things, but harmless wasn't one of them. 

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Nightwing had to keep his guard up at all times. This was the Joker after all. One of Gotham's A-list criminals if there was such a thing. He was never taken as a minor threat regardless of how he came across in person. It seemed like there was something off about the Joker. He always seemed out of his own control. The energy from the Joker seemed forced.

He most likely was not expecting company, though always had a plan if the occasion might arise. This situation was not going well at all. Lives were lost so far and Nightwing knew the count would continue to go up at any rate. The Joker like games with a few lives at stake.

Yet, why Bludhaven of all towns? It didn't seem like the Joker has planned on Nightwing showing up, even if this was his town.

Joker's next movement set of warning alarms for his next action. At that time, Nightwing's software was picking up a feed being sent out. It didn't take him long to figure out what kind of alarm was set off. That was the plan.....

Joker was luring more people to his location. He wasn't planning on leaving without a bang.

Nightwing had to think quick and get Joker out of the way and this place secure before the police could remotely make it to the location. Jumping onto the TV set itself, Nightwing front tucked off the top of it and was with the direct line of the Joker and a way to escape. His x-Ray lens allowed him to see within the packages. There was some odd stuff within them, though Nightwing would bet anything it wasn't what met the eye.

He has to find a way to defuse the devises or destroy them before they went off.

"Enough games, Joker. You invited the police. Well you're not leaving unless you're sitting in the bad of a squad then," Nightwing's tone was all too serious. Maybe almost along the lines of sounding like his mentor.

He pulled out his escrima sticks and the ends lit up blue. A faint pulsing sound of electricity could be heard. All the more of a warning sound to get it through to the Joker, he wasn't leaving here empty handed.

[The Joker]

Ohhhh...the kiddo knew what was happening, he couldn't expect anything less from the Bat's bird. Sure, Joker wasn't going to turn it off "Have fun, kiddo" the clown replied about the alarm meaning that Nightwing had to find a way to turn the alarm off by himself "But remember: you are not Batman!" he said the last part in a very singful tone meaning that the last part was sung in a pitch tone.

Joker didn't feel threatened, but it was normal...if there could be something normal about him. Joker took a little theatrical bow and started stepping back towards some part of the factory, he was going away, the fact was that...he wasn't feeling right and although feeling wrong could sound very funny for the clown...it wasn't helping right now.

His body didn't want to cooperate. Joker wanted to fight the bird to death, he wanted to rip his night-wings off...he wanted to do a lot of things, but the couldn't do them. Not even close. He felt like he was going to pass out soon. A part of him liked it because he was feeling like gravity didn't exist anymore...and his body tickled too and it was funny instead of being annoying. 

But still...he couldn't fight right now...he could try, but Nightwing had an advantage because of Joker's health condition. So, the Joker smiled "You have to stay here to turn the alarm off and you better do it or the death count will go up! You don't want other deaths on your conscience, do you?" the clown kept smiling and walking towards a part of the factory. Joker would have liked to just stuck one of his cards into Nightwing head in a perfect headshot, but no, he couldn't...at the moment.