Just Paint Your Face

You look... uh... interesting."

I stood, hands on my hips, "I'm trying to look as weird as you."

"At least I can move." He stood up in that agile way again and dusted off his plum coat.

I allowed the ivy in my forearm to wrap outside of my glove and spread through my blood-red hair.

"Who said anything about me moving?"

He sauntered over to me suddenly, caressing the leaves in my hair. His eyes were wild. He moved in to kiss me.

"Ah... poison." I held a finger to his lips. His tongue flickered out and he smirked.

"Ho hum. Don't care." He moved in again. I turned away. I couldn't let him do that to himself.

"I knew it." He looked at me strangely as if he'd proven a point. I think he was trying to affirm the fact that I loved him back. But I would never vocalize it. Not like this at least, with the paint smeared all over his face and the crazy look in his brown eyes. He'd have to be in a stable state, and we both knew that was impossible for him.

A knock on the door.

"Yeah?" He yelled gruffly, staring at me hungrily.

The door creaked open slowly. Daisy peered in meekly, brown eyes wide and red hair hanging in a mess about her cherub face. She saw how close he was to me and began to back out.

"Come in." He groaned, stepping back impatiently. She obeyed. She stared upon with awe as she walked over.

"She's beautiful, huh?"

I smiled.

She nodded, looking a bit sad. She gestured to the fresh bandage around her head and looked down at her soiled dress.

The Joker cocked his head, "Ivy... you got anything black?"

I smiled, nodding.

"C'mere, kid. Going to show you a few tricks..." He yelled for the clown that was walking out in the hall and pulled a pencil out of his pocket, "Now... you gotta do it quick and you gotta, uh, set it up just right..."

When I returned with a black turtleneck and some slacks that were too small, she was painting her face white. The Joker was sitting on his desk. He was explaining to her different ways of messing with people, different methods he used to show people he had no rules and would do anything. He stared at her when she was finished, her face pure porcelain.

"Now, Ivy's the artistic one. We'll get her to do... uh. Ah. There she is."

I took up the black eyeliner pencil he held in his hands, skillfully drawing two perfect triangles beneath her eyes and a small tear drop on her cheek. We allowed her to go in the other room and change. The clothes weren't perfect, but that was okay.

"Missing something..." He mumbled softly and jumped off the desk, disappearing into the bedroom. He came out twirling a bowler hat on his finger and some suspenders draped over his arms. I produced a large daisy and stuck it in the brim of the hat. It covered her bandage comfortably. The suspenders looked comically huge on her. She pulled at them with her thumbs and struck a wild pose.

"I like it!" He exclaimed, his smile wide. She beamed in reply.

"HAPPY. GOOFY. GRUMPY." He barked suddenly. They were in the doorway before we could count to ten.

"Well, ain't she pretty?" Goofy marveled.

"Which one, dummy?" Grumpy asked.

"Both. Mime and the Flower Lady." Happy said brightly.

The Joker cleared his throat.

"And uh, what about me?"

They nodded.

"Course boss."

"Alright then. Get a gun. All of you. It's showtime." He clapped his hands and giggled wildly.

Daisy and The Joker's little trio walked ahead towards the van. Daisy skipped, waving her small handgun around wildly. The Joker giggled, his own rifle hanging at his side. I didn't have a gun. I had no need for such things. My appearance was enough.

The ride there was uneventful. Goofy and Happy made light conversation in the front. They wore masks, but more distinct ones. Happy's "lips" were drawn back into a painful grin while Goofy's displayed a man crying with laughter. Grumpy only wore some colorful headscarf covering his mouth and nose like a bandit. I guess, like us, masks were not required if The Joker felt the slightest bit of attachment to you.

And if he loved you, you became a sideshow freak, just like him.

The Joker sat beside me, fidgeting and muttering in that insane way again. I loved when he did that. It fascinated me. I enjoyed all his little quirks and twitches. Daisy was cradling her gun happily, observing everything with her deer-like eyes.

We forced our way in and rode up the elevator. Music whirred ironically. The Joker hummed to it. I took several deep breaths, suddenly realizing I would see Rachel. Oh, what would she think of me? Of what I'd become? I stared thoughtfully at the elevator floor, my stomach twittering as the elevator braked.

"It's gonna be okay, Flower Lady. Don't worry." I felt Goofy grasped my shoulder reassuringly. Happy patted Daisy's head. The Joker whistled and nodded. It was weird, thinking these men had hearts. I suppose when you became one of them, they immediately treated you like family, an old friend. After all, birds of a feather flock together.

With a happy ding the doors opened.

"We made it." The Joker raised his shotgun up carelessly. I heard sounds of laughter. Not the happy kind or the crazy kind. The fake, self-loathing kind. The kind of laugh rich people with too many problems to hide and too many chains to their bank accounts affected. A loud bang as The Joker shot.

Dead silence. Daisy smiled.

I turned my nerves and fear to power as all party-goers eyed me, a mixture of pure awe and fear playing on their faces. I vaguely recognized some as people Harvey and Rachel introduced me to in my old life. I passed Alfred, the charming old butler, who was trying best to maintain composure, but his eyes were shocked. Some of the men I passed I caressed flirtatiously with a trendil. Daisy took to it like a duck in water, bowing and curtsying with and odd and unsettling flourish that only a mime could accomplish.

"Good evening ladies and gentle men...." The Joker proclaimed in that gruff, whiny tone, "We are... tonight's entertainment!"

I established the beauty. Daisy made the humor.

The Joker was all about fear.

He took up some shrimp and munched, not bothering to swallow before he spoke.

"Uh, I only have one question: Where is Harvey Dent?" He stalked along to random people, stealing food right under their upturned noses, "Hm? Do you know where he is? No? I just need to talk to him. Something little."

He took up a glass of champagne hanging in a woman's hand and threw it over his shoulder. He mimed drinking it.

My mother was a drinker...

He threw it to the ground and grabbed a man by the face, shaking his head for him.

"You know, I'll settle for his loved ones."

"We're not intimidated by thugs...!" An old gentleman piped up.

The Joker eyed him, squinting, he took him by the face roughly. The man began to quiver.

"You know... you remind me of my father," He retrieved his knife suddenly, "I hated my father."

"May...!" Rachel cried now, moving up to the front of the crowd. Her voice was dismayed and pleading, yet held a steadfast strength. I think she was trying to see if I had some sanity left.

The Joker didn't like that. He let go of the man. Grumpy rushed over, threatening him with his gun. Daisy was walking around and grabbing up all kind of glasses, throwing them to the ground with little crashes. I stood, eyeing Rachel, hoping she would see something that would make her understand. The vines on my neck writhed nervously.

"So it's you again..." He sneered, circling her. His eyes were filled with jealousy, "Harvey's squeeze. You surprised? Hm? See how well I took care of your little friend?"

She ignored him, looking at me.

"May," she called, "I know you can hear me. Harvey is ready to drop all the charges... you can take the girl, just get away from him. I know you can May, we all know. Just listen..."

Daisy stopped, looking confused.

I took a step forward, my vines curling limply.

The Joker grabbed her by the chin suddenly. I could tell he was angrier than ever.

"Hey. Hey. Look at--sh, look at me," He waved his knife in her face, "She's not yours anymore. Not Harvey's. She's mine. Yeah? I found her. I made her, I keep her. You got that, Jeannie?" He spat. She looked at him confusedly. I knew exactly what was going through his mind.

"Get away from me. You let her go." She sneered bitterly and kicked his shin.

He giggled the pain away, "Little fight in you. I like that."

I hardly had time to react as Batman swept into the room, "Then you're gonna love me."

The thick vines of ivy that surrounded me swept about confusedly. I was conflicted. I usually reacted so quickly, so decisively. Not so. Before I knew it, in the distraction, Rachel had rushed over, grabbing my hand. The Joker revealed a blade within his shoe and kicked Batman, hard. He rushed over, his face showing something like fear and rage. He grabbed Rachel roughly by the arm, and she called to me, hand outstretched, begging me to listen.

"Drop the gun." I heard Batman say warningly as The Joker shot a window behind him.

"Sure," He grinned, turning back from whispering something slyly into Happy's ear, "You just take off your little mask so we can see who you really are."

"You!" that old man in the party shouted bravely, "who's Jeannie! What are they to you?!"

The Joker twitched and ignored this, and Batman was too distracted with Rachel.

"Let her go!"

The Joker smiled in disbelief, "Oh, very poor choice of words."

It all happened in one fluid movement. Happy rushed over, holding the ivy in my arm to keep me from reacting. The Joker's black laughter filled the floor. Rachel fell, screaming. Batman flew after her in a hurry. I could feel my head whirling and I felt sick.

"Goddammit." I heard him say before fully blacking out, "Gimme her..."

Daisy

She woke by the time the car ride was over. The Joker would not speak to her as we made our way through the maze of dark alleys back to the hideout. I wanted to ask what happened, I didn't understand. But the tension between them was solid and heavy. I wouldn't dare say anything. Even if I could. I eyed Happy, Grumpy, and Goofy exchanging worried glances.

When we got back to the warehouse, he was pulling her towards the back room. My heart quickened with each angry step he made. I tried following, but he shut the door in my face. Before I could think of opening it, he'd put something in front to block it.

All I could do was listen.

"You're useless." I heard him scream. She did not respond. This seemed to anger him even more.

"You and your little bitch friend ruined everything! Now people are asking who I am, realizing I have feelings..."

"Don't you dare call her that." I heard Ivy say.

"I will say what I want to say," he continued, "Do you know what this did to me? Hm? My reputation is ruined. I'm weak because of you. I should kill you. Kill you right now. Not so strong with your little... your little, uh, forearm pinned, huh? You don't know what it's like to be weak. I'll show you. C'mere, I'll show you."

I could hear struggling. I few screams. Soon she was crying. He screamed a tortured scream of rage and I swiftly jumped out of the way when the door opened. I pressed myself against the wall. He didn't notice me. Out in the hall, a clown had been standing, listening. Just like me. He approached him and cut his face open without hesitation. I froze, sickened. He turned suddenly, realizing I was there. His eyes were black. They flickered with concern upon seeing me, white and shaking, against the wall.

He held his hands out. They were dripping with blood.

"Shit. Kid..."

I shook my head. I ran into the bedroom. She was huddled on the bed, shaking. For a moment I feared he'd raped her. But I knew if he tried he'd be dead before he could leave the room. Blood lay upon the mattress. I shook. He'd cut her arm. That was probably the closest he could get to killing her.

It filled me unexpectedly with rage. I took up an extra case of lipstick he had and began writing furiously on the wall.

"Kid, kid, I didn't mean..."

He stopped in the doorway. I stood, trembling, dropping the case of lipstick to the floor.

GET OUT.

MONSTER.

He flinched. I picked up random things and began throwing them at him. I hated him. I hated him for causing physical harm who I wanted to call mother. I wanted him out. If I could, I would've screamed my hatred at him. But somehow, the silence hit him harder.

He left.