You ought to smile more! (Joker and Othala!)

The Joker was getting rather bored.

He had been holding these hostages for hours now and no one had thought to call in The Bat yet? It was positively infuriating to be surrounded by all those annoying cops and yet not his favourite caped freak! Sighing a little bit, he looked down at the line of hostages that can been taken when he and his crew had just walked into the bank.

There hadn't been a plan, per se, but Joker would be happy to spend/waste/burn the money of the bank as he saw fit. His goons thought they would get their share... and maybe he would be generous and actually give them the money this time instead of melting the face off the guy stupid enough to ask for his share.

Jumping down from the throne made of the backs of some goons, The Joker grinned a little as he chuckled to himself, prowling up and down the line of hostages,

"Oh me, oh my!" he cried, pretending to be distressed, "The big bad Joker has captured me! Oh noes! Won't Batman please save us?!"

He paused, looking at them expectantly. When no one them moved or said anything he sighed a little bit before drawing a pistol and blowing the brains of a mid-level investment banker all over his secretary's face. She was shrieking something fierce! Grinning in his own way, he pulled her face closer so that they were cheek to cheek before pulling out a camera,

"Say BABYBRAINS!"

Checking the photo, The Joker tutted in disgust,

"Oh no no no! Don't you know how to smile?!" he giggled madly, shooting the woman in the privates, "No babies for you!"

Moving down the line, he reached a teenage girl with a series of strange tattoos taking up almost all of her features. Giggling a little bit, he pulled her out of the line of hostages and sat her down on his knee when he sat on the desk. The end of his gun pressed against her temple as he leaned in closer to whisper to her,

"Can you smile for me...?"

Othala didn't know how she had gotten herself into this situation. She was here at the bank just hoping to pay her money in so she wouldn't have it on her while she was walking around Gotham and she had chosen to do this right at the time that the bank was going to be held up. It couldn't just be a regular mob hold up either, it had to be one of the Super Villians of Gotham who terrorized the bank.

It appeared that the Joker was getting bored of waiting for Batman to show up and he was getting itchy, he was going to be doing something unpredictable sometime soon if the way that he was beginning to act was any indication.

Othala tried her best not to act like she was worried about what he might do, but as he shot someone randomly in the face she closed her eyes and had to fight to get her breathing under control. The following shot to a woman's womb only made her mouth pop open in horror and she hoped that the people closest to the woman would do their best to ensure that she was safe and the bleeding kept to a minimum.

It was unnerving how the Joker reacted to certain things, how he would act in response to certain actions was impossible to predict. The only thing to do would be to do what he said as much as possible and hoped that would see you through.

Unbelievably he turned to her next and tugged her out of the line of the hostages.

Trying to keep herself calm, Othala allowed the Joker to place her on his knee and she sat still in the position that he had placed her in. The sensation of the cold metal pressed against her forehead made her frightened but Othala tried not to show it, instead, when he asked her to smile she did so. Her thoughts were turned to other occasions, her first kiss, being adopted things like that so it was as much of a genuine smile as it could have been at the time.

The Joker liked this one.

Oh she was so sweet, she was so innocent... and by the time he got through with her she would be cackling like a loon!

Or maybe he would leave her as she was and focus on someone else?

He didn't know what he would do! He was a rather changeable person after all! The Joker didn't have a singular opinion on anything - that would be far too boring. No, he had multiple opinions on absolutely everything that he thought, said or did. And the fate of this little teenie bopper was resting on one of his safer (read as BORING) voices won the war in his head.

Giggling a little bit to himself when she smiled, he pressed their faces together and raised the camera high,

"Ready for a picture my dear?" he asked with menace in his tone, "I know I am... no say... MONKEY SCROTUM!"

Taking the picture, he looked at the picture before pushing the girl carelessly off of his lap onto the floor as he tutted, jumping off the desk to pace back and forth,

"Oh no no no!" he shook his head, looking at her sadly, "I'm afraid you don't look like you're having fun at all... Ooooo! How about a game!"

He grinned,

"I'm thinking of a number out of one hundred. You tell me if you think it's higher or lower than fifty! Now. Go! START!"

Othala was a little surprised when he pushed their faces close together, for what could only be described as a selfie. The word that he picked for them to say aloud when they took the picture was so random it actually did make her laugh a little bit, although it wasn't her normal full laugh it was a lot more than he would have got out of anyone else in the room.

"Monkey scrotum." she said, her voice a little wobbly from her laughter but she didn't think that he would mind so much about that. He was the Joker after all, making people laugh is what he wanted to do.

She urged herself, mentally, to try and see the funny side in everything that he was doing. If she did that maybe he wouldn't get so angry with her when it turned out that she didn't think that his 'jokes' were amusing like everyone else.

Falling to the floor with a small 'omph' Othala didn't know if she should stay on the floor or get up so that she was on a level playing field with him. It was so hard to tell what he wanted. So, Othala stayed on the floor for the time being but sat in a different position with her legs crossed. It was a hard feat in her dress but she managed it with some dignity.

The fact that he suggested playing a game made her rather nervous, but, Othala tried again not to show it. She tried to speak with a voice that was brighter than the anxiety filled tone that would have come out if she hadn't had a better handle on herself.

"Hmm, I'm going to guess lower. Lower than fifty." Othala stated, a tint of hopefulness in her tone. She didn't know what would happen if she got the answer wrong after all.

Ah so she could be taught! Chuckling a little bit, he liked the way she laughed. It was nervous, it was weak and it was innocent... kind of like her to be honest! Giggling a little bit to himself about her laugh, he tried to think about how it would feel to have that little laugh... become as deranged and crazed as his own.

Ooooo!

He was getting shivers all over!

Laughing a little bit, he ran on the spot in his excitement a little bit at her agreement to play the game. Of course she most likely agreed to the game because he would have killed/maimed her otherwise but semantics! Cackling to himself, he nodded a little bit,

"Lower you say?" he grinned, "Very gooooood! You got the right answer!"

Grinning, he spun around on the spot, laughing wildly before stopping his spin, his gun at the ready. He pointed it at the teen,

"But am I a sore loser?"

Smirking, he lazily aimed at one of his own crew, blowing the man's head clean off casually before pointing it back at the teen with a sickening grin,

"Again."

Othala was very glad that she had managed to guess the right answer although she was still worried about what was going to happen. For there was no doubt that something was going to happen but it would most likely be something that would benefit her, seeing as she had in fact guessed the right answer.

Jumping a little in surprise when the Joker shot one of his own men, Othala placed her hand over her heart and tried to steady herself again.

Inside she was beating herself up already, thinking that it was actually at some level her fault that this guy had just died. True he had been a scum bag villain but he was still a person and might have other people depending on him for income and things like that.

She didn't know how long she was going to have to play the game and her fingers gently began to trace over one of her tattoos to try and calm herself down. Taking a moment to think about her next answer Othala cleared her throat before replying;

"Lower, again."

Oh this was just too precious!

He could practically see the cogs turning in her mind right now. Oh how she would torment herself, thinking that it was 'all her fault' that scumbag had died. Giggling a little bit to himself, he slid along the floor in a perfect powerslide. When he was on his knees in front of her he gripped her chin tightly in his hand, turning her head slightly from side to side,

"Oh little gem you are!" he cackled a little bit, laying on his back while his arms and leg went crazy in the air. Coming down from that particular laugh, he grinned at her, "And what's you name little girlie?"

Giggling a little bit, he tapped the end of his gun against her nose,

"You know kiddo... you remind me of someone..."

Hearing her answer, he cackled madly, throwing his head back to laugh as hard as he could. Coming down from it, still giggling, he patted her on the head, dropping his gun into her lap,

"Be a dear and hold this for daddy hmmmm?"

Giggling to himself, he drew a switchblade from inside his jacket. He tested how sharp it was against his finger before humming,

"Your luck really did run out."

Walking up to the hostages, he wandering into their midst before grabbing one of the closest hostages to her from behind. His hand held the woman's hair tightly as the blade pressed gently against her throat,

"You see girlie... you lost that round." he grinned wickedly, "And for that she pays your penalty!"

The Joker didn't want this woman to die cleanly or quickly - it wouldn't be much of a penalty then now would it? Grinning manically, he moved the knife until it's tip was resting against the woman's stomach. Locking eyes with the teen he was toying with, Joker gripped the knife hard and began to stab the woman over, and over, and over again in the stomach, laughing low in his throat with each puncture wound.

After about fifty knife stabs the hostage was dying... but not yet dead. Throwing her down onto her front, The Joker jumped forwards with a laugh... landing on the back of her skull, which caved in under his weight. He leaned forwards at the waist so his face was inches away from the teen's, ankle deep in some broad's skull,

"Ready for round three?"

Othala watched with curiosity mixed with slight amusement when the Joker slid on the floor only to stop right in front of her. It was a little strange, but everything he did was strange. Despite being unable to predict what he was going to do - Othala was slowly getting used to the things that the Joker might be thinking of doing. If she managed to get it right then nothing bad would happen to her, and hopefully the other hostages.

Gasping lightly when he took her chin in a strong grip, Othala kept her eyes open so that she wouldn't seem afraid.

His laughing fit made her smile lightly, she would have laughed but she didn't want him to think that she was laughing at him. The Joker might not take that kindly and Othala didn't think it would be a good idea to provoke him.

"I'm Othala." she replied with a small smile "Who do I remind you of?" Othala asked tentatively, a little unsure whether she should be questioning him at all but, the question had come out before she could really stop herself from asking it. Othala just hoped that it wouldn't back fire on her too spectacularly.

Gently she held The Joker's gun in her hand, marveling actually at the weight of it. It was a lot heavier than she thought it would be - she'd never held one of these muggle contraptions before. Carefully she turned it over in her hands, looking at it and taking in all of the details of it. If he had given her his gun though, it didn't bode well for whatever was going to happen next she was sure.

Othala wanted to cry out, to try and get him to stop but it was pointless. The Joker had made up his mind and this was happening.

Tears welled up in Othala's eyes as the woman was stabbed so many times, simply because she had picked the wrong number. However much her thoughts were telling her that it was her fault Othala tried to reassure herself that there was no way this could be her fault. She didn't know that the Joker was going to do that, she still didn't know what he would do next time she got an answer wrong or right.

She had to play, otherwise, Merlin knows what would happen.

Swiftly she wiped her small tears away from her eyes when the Joker neared her again and nodded her head; "Uh-huh. I uhm...I pick higher this time." she chose.

He laughed again - this was becoming a reoccurring theme it seemed!

Giggling to himself when she told him her name, he had to admit that it was a rather unique name. He'd never heard of anyone called Othala before... maybe he would have to collect her? If she was the only one with the name then he could keep her as a pet, a mascot! Of course if she wasn't the only one... well he might just have to make sure to hunt down and kill the others to make sure his collectable was a one-of a kind!

"Othala... lovely!" he grinned a little bit when she asked him about who she reminded him of. He patted her cheek, "You remind me of my little baby daughter... which reminds me of a joke actually!"

He cackled,

"How many dead babies does it take before a drunk comedian is satisfied?" he asked before bursting out laughing, "Trick question... he's never satisfied because his insides are black, bleak, broken and desolate with everything in his life a disasterous, monumental gag! His life is the joke and no amount of dead babies, kicked puppies or flayed and skinned mothers makes it feel any better!"

He grinned,

"Good joke huh?"

The Joker was bored of this game now.

It was time for a new game.

Moving back into the midst of the hostage, he grabbed another hostage from behind. This time it was a young teenage boy. One of the female hostages was struggling even more - hopefully it was his mother! Grinning, he tapped his knife at the boy's cheek as he stood behind him,

"New game Othala! My objective is to kill each and every hostage here!" he told her with a wide, manic, grin, "Your job... is to stop me! And the only thing you can use, otherwise they all die at once... is that gun in your lap. Go on... pick it up... PICK IT UP RIGHT NOW YOU LITTLE PUKE!"

Giggling, he cut the teenager's cheek lightly,

"You have five seconds to try and stop me..." he cackled, "Go on... DOOOOO IT!"

Othala allowed him to pat her on the cheek without flinching at the touch, the sensation of his leather glove patting against her skin was a lot better than the sensation of his skin against hers. When they had taken the picture Othala had been at her most uncomfortable. This though was getting to that level. The fact that she reminded him of his daughter, made Othala intrigued but also quite worried.

It was odd that he was telling her a little bit of his past - even though Othala doubted that it was the truth. Perhaps it was, but apparently he said so many different things about his past it was hard to tell what was true and what wasn't. Othala would operate under the idea that it was a lie, that way she wouldn't end up feeling sorry for the Joker more than she already did. It was obvious that something was wrong, and that he needed help.

"If you say so." she replied with a small smile.

When she saw Joker going into the rest of the hostages and bringing a teenage boy out with him, one she had saw previously and thought that he was quite cute. She wondered what was going through that head of his but, it was futile to guess so she simply waited for him to tell her what he wanted her to do.

She would do it, and hope that everyone would understand. She hoped they would understand that she had no other choice.

Hearing his new game made Othala gasp loudly and swiftly pick up the gun that was in her lap. She had no idea how to use it but assumed that he had loaded the gun and that she would just need to point and fire it.

She aimed it a little shakily, gripping it with two hands. Othala hesitated for a moment until the Joker began to cut the teenagers cheek. Then she found herself steeling her brow and shooting the gun the best that she could at the largest target - the Joker's head. She knew she would probably miss a finer shot at his head or legs, but after the shot to his head she tried aiming one at his arm to cripple him.

If shooting him was what he wanted her to do, she certainly wasn't going to complain.

Fuck the past and the babies and the death and the comedian and having really bad days that turn you into monsters so bad you can't even escape into madness!

Fuck all of that... it was boring.

THIS GAME WAS FUN!

He was going to break her. He was going to tear that child-like innocence from her with the ease of a few simple knife thrusts. Even if she did manage to shoot him, even if she did manage to kill him, he would still get what he wanted! She would be corrupted and he would have won! Grinning widely, he stabbed the teenage boy in the eye, popping it out as he waited for Othala to actually hold the gun correctly,

"Goood!" he cackled over the sounds of the boy's screams, "Now make sure the safety is off... otherwise you miss your free shot and this young man here gets a new hole to breathe through! HAHAHAHA!"

He grinned widely, pushing his face against the side of the teenage boy's so that there was even less room for error with Othala,

"Come on... do it! Fire! Shoot! Blast away!" he cackled, "You have three seconds!"

Two shots! She was an enterprising young lady this one!

Cackling like the madman that he was, The Joker closed his eyes and waited for the pain. But, of course, no pain came. And why? Because he had ducked behind the teenage fully of course! Both shots entered the teen's chest and The Joker threw him down at Othala's feet to let him drown in his own blood.

Humming happily, he grabbed the boy's mother by the hair and, oh so casually, ripped her throat out with his knife,

"She would have been all resigned to it and everything! No fun at all!" he told her with a wave of his hand before holding his arms open, "But here we go... free shot! No tricks! Just hit me and they can all live... hit me!"

Of course she wouldn't.

She was out of bullets.

Othala gasped in shock when the shots she fired didn't connect with the Joker but with the teenage boy. She watched as he started to bleed, the crimson blood running down from his wounds to pool around him on the floor. Biting her lip she felt the tears welling up in the corner of her eyes again. She couldn't believe that she had caused this. She should have known that the Joker would have moved the boy to block the shots...she should have known.

Tenderly she reached forwards and closed the one eye of the boy after he had passed on. It was the least that she could do after what she had done.

Although she couldn't bring herself to look the sound of ripping and a splattering of liquid onto the floor let her know that the Joker had killed someone else as well. Most likely the woman who had been trying to hold onto the boy so tightly when the Joker had picked him from the crowd. Shooting the boy had been her fault, but, this murder had nothing to do with her - it was all the Joker's doing.

Distrusting of the Joker, but not seeing any other option Othala raised the gun again and aimed it up with the Joker as best she could before squeezing the trigger and waiting for a bullet to fly from the gun. Nothing came out. There were no more bullets left inside. Desperately Othala looked at the gun in her hands finding it useless she made to throw it away.

She threw it a lot harder than she had intended though in her upset and it went across the room in the direction of the Joker. Connecting with his nose. A crunch sounded through the room. The plume of red blood that erupted from his nose let her know for certain that her throw with the pistol had broken his nose.

She'd just broken the Jokers nose.

Oh crap.

Oh this was just... wonderful!

He could almost hear her heart breaking as the young man tumbled to the ground, soundlessly crying for his mother. Of course his mother would be sent to meet him soon enough but the boy didn't know that just yet! Of course he'd meet her on the road to meet the Big Guy. He just hoped that they mentioned him to the big cahoooooona!

Grinning from ear to ear, he patted his chest,

"Right here Othala... come on... avenge them!" he taunted her, "Become a killer! LIKE ME! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Oh those musical clicks.

Chuckling darkly, the laugh started low before growling louder and louder, all the while becoming more high pitched and out of control. He leaned backward at the waist, laughing so hard that his face was beginning to hurt.

And to think! She had almost been able to shoot him! But she had made the mistake of firing two shots instead of one,

"You know Othala... it's really all your fault." he explained to her in a condescending tone, "If you'd only fired once then you'd have been able to hit me now! And who knows? Old Jimmy boy there would have lasted longer with only one hole ventilating his chest! HAHAHAHAHA!"

The Joker's head snapped to the side and he brought a hand up to his nose, momentarily silent. She had thrown her freaking gun (HIS GUN!) at him and broken his nose! His crew were already preparing to kill her. Seeing one man was ready to shoot her, Joker threw his knife. The knife entered the man's eye and he slumped to the ground, dead instantly as Joker laughed as he stalked over to the corpse,

"Oh yes... oh YES! I love it!" he laughed through the blood gushing from his nose, "I'm going to keep you! Yes! You're going to love being with me Othala... we'll have all the fun games! But first of all... what should we do with the hostages... hmmm?"

Othala was thoroughly preparing to die at this moment in time - honestly the henchmen of the Joker looked like they were going to be pumping bullets into her any second now regardless of what the Joker would say. Gulping softly to herself she resisted the urge to curl up into a small ball and wait for the inevitable. She had been so strong up until this point - she couldn't let it all go now.

True she had cried slightly at some points but, who wouldn't be distressed at seeing - at having a part in things like this?

The henchman closest to her, who looked like he was the most trigger happy too, was suddenly down on the floor bleeding. At closer inspection Othala saw that there was a dagger sticking out of the man's eye. Her gaze flicked swiftly to the Joker, for there was no doubt that it was him who had thrown the dagger.

Unable to hide her confusion at the happiness he was showing, Othala tentatively smiled at him. If he was happy about having his nose broken then...then that was good.

"You're going to...to keep me?" she asked, eyes wide. Not too keen on becoming another Harley Quinn but, if it was a choice between that and death she'd go with the former until she could find a way to escape "Well...okay then. As long as there is fun, and games." she commented, daring another small smile to keep her in his good books.

Who knows, maybe fun and games when they were on the same side would actually be better than what she'd had to endure here.

Looking at the hostages, Othala gulped softly before answering the Joker; "You did say you would let them live, if I could hit you with the gun."