Joker's Hideout(s)

[Comic_Book_Joker]

"Something else that I feel," the clown said, since Harley didn't speak up, "is the need to apologize to you, Harley." The Joker turned his head to face her, and said in the same eerily serious tone, "I'm sorry I ditched you."  

[Elmira of Elkwood]

Harley's lips curled into a small frown as she listened to him. "Ditched me..." she replied. She wanted to ask "which time" .... but he was in far too serious of a mood for that. It was... rather out of character for him. Maybe he was just trying to get a sympathy vote from her. Get her back onto his side. Or... maybe this dark haired chick had really messed him up.  

[Comic_Book_Joker]

"No, I didn't suppose I was going to be forgiven," the clown said, a small, almost weak smile growing on his face, without a trace of humor evident in it, "It's far too late for that now. Has been for a long time." His smile grew wider, a glimmer of his traditional mirth beginning to reemerge as he said, "Hell, I knew I was too far gone to be forgiven before I ever even met you. You always seemed to be able to do it, though. Never quite grasped why, but you did. If even you can't do it now..." His voice trailed off, his words hanging there for a moment or two.

Then, his grin widened to something much more resembling his usual self. "I think I just had a change of plans again. Thank you, Harley!" He pulled her head close, and kissed her cheek. He let her go, and closed the trunk. He hopped back over the door, and started the car. Turning back around, he asked Quinn, "You sure you don't want to come along? It'll be a BLAST!" The emphasis he used on the word 'blast' was the sort that he usually reserved for making a joke just before or just after causing an explosion.  

[Elmira of Elkwood]

Harley blinked a few times as Joker spoke. She'd rarely ever heard him speak so seriously. And... had never heard him apologize or say anything of this sort. He'd never apologized to her before. Not like... this.

It wasn't long before that old grin was back on his face though. She blinked once more as he gave her a quick kiss and jumped back into the car. She frowned again as he asked her to tag along.

"I... I really shouldn't, Mistah Jay." she replied. "The last time I paid you a long visit, some.... people weren't very happy that I did so." she said. She didn't sound very sure about not tagging along with him though.

Although... if she was just tagging along to make sure the little kid was going to be alright, Yuriko shouldn't mind that, right? It wasn't like she was going to be running back to Joker's arms or anything.

...even though he gave her an honest and heartfelt apology. As much of one as the Joker could muster anyway.

No... it wasn't going to be like that.  

[Comic_Book_Joker]

"Some people can be unbelievably selfish. I should know," the Ace of Knaves said, shrugging. He held out a hand and asked, "Come on, one last hurrah for the first clowns of crime? I promise, you won't regret it, and I guarantee that when you talk of how tonight goes, those people of yours will have a hard time being mad at you, too."  

[Elmira of Elkwood]

Harley looked at his offered hand, then looked down the street. A worried look on her face as her blue eyes flickered over the alleys. Oh hell.... Yuriko was going to kill he for this. But.... it-it wasn't like she was going to be going back to him or anything. Just making sure that the kid was going to be alright.


She looked back at Joker, and gave him a small smile. "Alright." she replied, then moved her hand to take his. "I guess one last ride won't hurt."  

[Comic_Book_Joker]

"Excellent," Joker said, shifting into gear and peeling off towards his newer hideout.

As he drove, he asked Harley, "So, why did you change your mind?"  

[Elmira of Elkwood]

"You mean about tagging along?" Harley asked as she let her hair down out of it's bun. "Well... you did say that no one would be mad about me taging along with you one last time after this. And ... to be honest the psychiatrist side of me is curious." she said simply. That wasn't the only reason... but it was all the reason she was going to give him right now.  

[Comic_Book_Joker]

"I'm glad you're so interested, Harls," the clown said, making a turn that would've caused less lucky people to flip their vehicle and send all passengers flying to their deaths, "You'll probably need it to make heads or tails of this." Noticing that she was letting her hair down, he added, "If you need the rest of your costume, your spare is still under the passenger seat."  

[Elmira of Elkwood]

Harley held on as the car slid across the road. "Well... I did leave my mask back at home. Suppose if I'm going to see the girl, I'd better be in costume again. And in case you get a visitor again." she said as she reached under the seat. When she came back up, she looked over at him.

"I heard that your old place had a bat infestation. whatever happened with that?" she asked.  

[Comic_Book_Joker]

"That damn pipsqueak future Bat-boy," the Joker said, looking at the road, his tone getting murderously serious, "Acting like HE'S the Batman. The REAL Bat doesn't need stealth gadgets to blend. He's a sham!"  

[Elmira of Elkwood]

Harley smirked a bit and began curling her hair up to put into her mask. "So you had the baby bat. I heard that your old place got tor up pretty bad. Wasn't much left there to be able to do much with." she said.

==============================

Meanwhile, a dark haired woman began to stir in the trunk of the car. The first thing she became consciously aware of... was the throbbing pain in her head. She moaned and tried to move her hand to her head. The next thing that she became aware of was that it was dark. Very dark. Were her eyes open? She thought they were. Gods why did her head hurt so much? And what was that humming?  

[Comic_Book_Joker]

The clown nodded in agreement. "The only way there would have been less left standing would have been to blow it sky-high," he said, making another quick, fast turn. They were almost there.  

[Elmira of Elkwood]

Gossamer was suddenly pulled backwards, and felt her back and head hit a wall. Hard. She let out a loud grunt, and her hand moved to the back of her head. Her other hand moved out to gold onto the floor. It didn't take her very long after to realize just where she was. The odd feel of the floor she was on, the movement, the noise.... wasn't the first time she'd been in a trunk before.

She let out a small slew of curses as she tried to steady herself in the trunk and regain her bearings. Alright... she was alone in the trunk of a car. How did she get here? The last thing she remembered was turning around and seeing the Joker. Then she was...

she was....

she was alone in the trunk.

Where was Rosie?  

[Comic_Book_Joker]

Suddenly, the Clown Prince of Crime hit the brakes, screeching to a halt next to a decrepit magic shop. "We're here."