Daniel Carter/NightBlade-38 Yrs-Gotham city
As Ceecee left the two of us I began to move down the abandoned avenue allowing Mia to follow behind me. While there was essentially a war going on in Gotham, I am not expecting too much resistance, as I judged the relative silence we are enjoying to be a side effect of this area to be a known area where the Joker has resided. As there are few willing to venture into the Clown Prince's turf, even if the odds of him being there are slim. I then began to clue Mia in on my thought processes. "Keep an eye out, although between you and me. I doubt we will run into serious problems until we get close to Joker's hideout. There are not many, police or criminally insane, who would be spotted anywhere near where the Joker could possibly be." As I informed her on the situation, we continued our way to the old toy factory, the layout of the city, still amazes me on how identical it is to my Gotham, so finding my way is not a problem.
It did not take long before we began to arrive, and I started to wonder if Ceecee was having as easy of a time as we were. In fact, as we got closer, it was almost as if the Joker wanted to be found. Like he had set up a show and was desperate for an audience. It had taken us about a half hour to finally reach the sight of the old Funhouse Toy Factory in the narrows, and where we saw our first signs of any resistance.
There were about a dozen armed men with clown masks of varying types equipped with everything from civilian to police weaponry. Nothing I had never faced before. However, bullets are bullets. The entrance of the factory, was not how I remember it from my world however. The large walkway was flanked by two overly large nut cracker soldiers. Lights resembling that of a christmas tree were spread around and placed in a spider web like pattern. Speakers were playing carnival music as a large sign hung above the entrance, originally saying Funhouse but now had green spray paint placing 'Joker's' before Funhouse.
"Joker always has had a liking for the theatrical." I was just about to tell Mia how we would approach it, when I heard the familiar crackling laughter of the Joker erupt over the speakers.
"Now, I hope you have rehearsed your lines boys. Statistics show probability of Bat entanglements are drearily low. It is hard after all to be entertained by such a endangered species."
I allowed a moment to pass once Joker finished his 'broadcast'.
"Mia, stay close behind me. These men should not be a problem, but when dealing with someone this insane, let's not leave any openings."
I then loaded the sub machine gun in my left hand, while wielding the sword in my right. I then lunged into action, straight ahead as I created the diversion that Ceecee would use to infiltrate the factory, as the goons caught sight of us. Gunfire erupted as I dodged and ducked behind vehicles, using a mixture of speed and cover to close the distance and parry blows with the sword, while shooting the henchman in the legs and shoulders. Slicing several muscles and disabling goon after goon, finding it far easier when allowing myself to use lethal weapons, rather than engage all of them in hand to hand fighting.
I left several of the smaller ones for Mia, while I engaged the largest. A mountain man with no shirt on, and one of the same painted masks as the others, with green hair pasted to the mask and a red frown painted across the mask. The man wielded a large sledgehammer and gave a large overhead swing with it which I side stepped easily and slashed one of his lower legs with the sword, and then swiftly the other, forcing him to his knees. Despite his large size, wielding a simple and heavy weapon made him far too predictable, as he could only attack overhead, or in a side swing. Two options. Positioning myself behind him I swiftly slammed a backhand into his neck. Instantly putting him out.
I then looked up to observe Mia at work, naturally she seemed to be handling herself rather well.
As we were about to finish the fight at the gates, the Joker crackled over the speakers again.
"What does it take to bring down a Deadman knockoff and his sidekick Princess Peach? Huhuhahahehehe, oh well the show ends for you, and I am afraid there wont be an encore." With those words I immediately revealed several small green syringes, as large tanks on the back sides of the toy soldiers began to release Joker Gas. The wounded henchman on the ground scurried and cried out, but soon began clawing at their chests, while laughing intensely. I injected myself with the syringe, but shot my eyes over to Mia, who was dangerously close to the gas tanks.
I dashed over to her, clearing several obstacles in a jump as I ran over dying bodies to reach her. And almost violently injected her with the antidote. It was all a gamble, the gamble was that the Joker of this world used the same split formula that my world did, and if so. Then after this moment, me and Mia will be entirely immune to the gas.
As the two of us were now enshrouded in the gas, the answer was clear. The gamble has paid off. After almost dying to the gas one time, I wont fall victim to the same tactic twice.
With the front guards dead, most killed by the Jokers own hand, I turned to Mia.
"Let's not keep him waiting. After all....the show must go on."
As the two of us entered into the darkness of the Joker's Funhouse.
