Clown princess of crime

Of course Harley would want to spend time with Jon’s obsidian DEMONS. She was a Disney princess in real life, somehow always having a touch for animals Scarecrow lacked. Perhaps it was her childish enthusiasm towards everything.

❝Sounds good. The nesting grounds aren’t far. Follow.❞ There’s a quick gesture with his wrist akin to a spasm that’s the only cue for her to follow before the cloaked rogue takes off into the night.

     a noise which can only be considered a SQUEAL escapes her lips as he agrees to her coming along -- animals were one of her BIGGEST weaknesses after all. she did take care of a practical sanctuary most of the time and considered her HERD to be her babies. 

         “ jon nevah let’s me help! ya really know how ta make a girl happy, crows! “

   Surprises upon surprises. Her excitement gives him pause, arms relaxing as he stares at her. The energy in her and the interest in his strangeness is uncommon. He’s known perhaps two others that have reacted like this and actually meant their interest. Others have pretended, hoping to gain his trust through fake acceptance. He is wary even as surprise softens his stern gaze. A little confusion is added to his features as she continues speaking.

   Neither of those names mean anything to him but he can assume one of them belongs to the fellow he’s seen her with. And that phrase, villain type? It certainly applies to him but does this mean she considers herself one as well, along with her companion? Now that is surprising. He’s met a gang leader, has a classmate that is the leader of a crime syndicate but he’s never come across someone else who considered themselves a villain. It is almost promising.

   The little moment of promise goes stale the moment she mimics his pose. A sneer touches Gundham’s lips and arms cross over his chest. His paranoia assumes she is making fun of him. Mimicking with the intent to mock. He is about to hiss a cold remark before striding away when her words catch his interest. Chaos and destruction? Ultimate Chaos? Does he dare seek more information? Does he dare come face to face with other beings who have been drawn to the darker side?

   “Hmm,” He hums, face going contemplative as a hand rises to his mouth. “Is that so? How intriguing. I was unaware of other Agents of Pandemonium that call this plane theirs. Fascinating.” He leans forward a little, head tilting as he peers at her with that red eye. “I do see the touch of Eris upon you. Perhaps it could be beneficial to my empire for me to investigate your purposes.”

           it is not UNCOMMON for the harlequin to get utterly lost in her theatrics. she’s not DUMB in any sense, harley is actually quite smart -- her mind’s just been fried a bit in the past. is that why she is SURPRISED to see the sneer at her mimicry? perhaps in her excitement she had forgotten that no one here knows her playful spirit like back in gotham -- he doesn’t know that she does these things FREQUENTLY because they were intended to be a joke.

        she drops the act as he speaks again, head tilting as she takes in his words. the way he SPEAKS -- it’s like it’s in riddles and GRANDEUR. it’s completely interesting for the fact of how DIFFERENT it is. her grin only WIDENS as he leans forward that bit. she WONDERS if that red hue is a contact. it seems like it probably is.

         but his next words achieve her hand raising to scratch at the back of her head. he wants to KNOW their purposes? she KNOWS that might not be the best thing to let spill to some guy she just met -- ESPECIALLY since joker isn’t here to reign her in.

         “ well - i don’t know what makes ya see somethin’ like tha’ but i’ll take it as a COMPLIMENT. but if yer lookin’ to investigate our PURPOSE you should probably talk to JOKER and not me. ‘m more here for COMIC relief than anythin’. “

       she brings a pale hand to tap at her chin as her gaze shifts away for a moment in a certain kind of thought.

       “ in fact... i wouldn’t SUGGEST you bringin’ up us bein’ beneficial to ya empire because ‘e can be pretty touchy about tha’ kind ‘a stuff -- ‘e’s a real big stickler for control and ‘is INDEPENDENCE. trust me you don’t want ta see ‘im angry. “

      of course -- she knows his anger well. she is more OFTEN the recipient of it than others, especially since coming here. ah well -- as long as she gets to BE with him, she supposes it’s all okay. this is all just so much fun. her gaze shifts to him again, head tilting in an EXTRAVEGANT way, like that of a curious dog.

      she was a DIVERSION, intended to be a minor pin in the side of the bat while joker executed his vision. this was why harley stood alone in a ring of MINOR explosions in the park pressing the detonator rapidly. sounds of laughter escape her lips as they all go off, spinning in a circle with GLEE written on her face at this minor scale of destruction. as they die off, she glances over -- eyes falling upon the form of a certain masked vigilante and an even GREATER joy rolls over her that the plan has worked and she won’t be blamed for the failure. 

     she moves with an AGILE elegance, doing a hand spring over to her mallet, only to hold the bar over her shoulders as her one hand offers an obnoxious wave to the bat.

     the harlequin was supposed to be blowing things up in the city right now -- but she had been stopped in her tracks when blue hues fall upon the form of a very STRANGE person. she shouldn’t get side tracked, joker won’t like it at all, but the curiosity that prickles under her painted skin gets the best of her. she gives a little HUM as she skips out from her cover to stand in front of him, recognizing him VAGUELY in the darkness as someone she may have seen before. 

       all the things she could do -- but she immediately drops into a poorly rendered version of the robot dance, a little giggle falling over her lips.

   Gundham inspects the girl before him. Gaudy outfit, skin pale as death, so much make-up and an overly cheerful attitude. He can’t say he’s paid much attention to a lot of the people at this school but he can say he has seen her around before. Isn’t she usually with that dirty clown? That man just reeked of malicious intent. His instincts always telling him to keep clear of him, but this girl doesn’t have that same feel. Strange. But she is sort of annoying.

   Why isn’t she leaving? Usually his hostility sends people away, especially when he’s taken away the one thing they had been interested in. Perhaps he should attempt another method to be rid of her. Although … he gets the feeling this one might be difficult to send away.

   His eyes narrow for a moment as he listens to her. Did she say, while she is in this school? Does that mean she has another identity elsewhere? That … is actually rather interesting. A conundrum to unravel. Should he pursue that tidbit? Or would that be both a waste of time and an annoyance? He’ll see. She has just given him the perfect opportunity to test her tolerance.

   “Animal Enthusiast?” He scoffs before bursting into a bout of his villainous laughter. It echoes down the hall as his stance widens and cross into one of his dramatic poses, pointer and middle fingers pointed. His coat tails flutter, scarf whipping with his slight turn.

   “I shall forgive this insult for you do not know the magnitude of the being standing before you, colourful mortal. For I am Tanaka, the Forbidden One!” He announces, a pride filled glint entering his eyes. “Before you is the incarnation of Mayhem himself! An ascendant with command over an army of infernal nightmares! I am the being that shall bend this world to his will! Remember it well, mortal!”

        out of all the responses to expect -- this was not one that had CROSSED her mind. her head cocks to the side just VAGUELY as he goes off on the dramatic monologue, that smile on her grin just widening ever so slightly. harley finds it MOST interesting to say the least. in some ways she wants to learn more and DISSECT it as she would have when she was HARLEEN -- examine the psychology of such delusions. and maybe she would have if she had entered the school under her real name with the title of ultimate psychiatrist. for NOW she was a loyal lackey, tied to this persona.

       and so at the CONCLUSION of his words, she bounces up and down a bit on the balls of her feet, positively giddy.

      “ WOWZERS !! the forbidden one? ya sound like a strange mix of CROWS and mistah jay -- nightmares and MAYHEM. i gotta say, it sounds MIGHTY interestin’. not at all what i expected ta find at a HOITY toity school like this one! nevah thought there’d be ANOTHER villain type lurkin’ in the halls. “

     there is a moment where she debates where she’s going with this only to let a giggle fall from her lips as she suddenly REINACTS his stance in her much small form -- those villainous giggles falling from her own lips as her own face becomes much more serious. after all, they say imitation is the most SINCERE form of flattery, right? 

       “ i ain’t ‘cha run ‘a the mill mortal either, SWEETS. no -- i am the clown PRINCESS of crime in a lil ‘ol town known as GOTHAM city -- chaos and DESTRUCTION is practically my callin’. i rule side by side with MISTAH jay, he’s what they call the ultimate CHAOS. it’s kind ‘a funny what kind of TALENT this school will allow. “

❝Polluted air. Many needn’t our help to die.❞ 

He turns to watch Harley paint the poor sod’s face, cocking his head to a side with a hint of curiosity. That’d throw the bat off for a WHILE at least. Perhaps he should begin getting other rogues involved in the experiments. Not only it’d be interesting to watch, but they’d have the Batman running from place to place like a headless chicken.

❝Nothing left to do. Home. We have to tend to the flock.❞ Despite how little Jonathan’s birds liked Scarecrow, he still attempted to feed them every night he was fronting. ❝We’d prefer to busy with something else.❞

       “ the flock? “

   her eyes widen as he speaks of the birds, her grin WIDENING. the harlequin had a thing for animals -- she absolutely adored them. hands clasp in front of her chest as she practically bounces closer to scarecrow looking up at him with pleading eyes. of course, she DOUBTS he would deny her this simple joy. they did SEEM to be getting along pretty well right now.

“I’ll give you an A for effort, but no seriously pack it up and stop blowing things up people are trying to sleep at this hour and you know you could spend your time doing something constructive like art and not blowing up semi abandoned buildings.”  He told her as he pointed to the sleeping area of a few homeless people who might have left to acquire food for the night.

    “ aw c’mon !! are ya really suggestin’ i take up art as some kind ‘a LAME hobby? even you gotta know that that’s a LAME request, mistah. “

      instead, she holds out her arms and gives a little TWIRL to indicate the destruction around her. with a giggle, she stops and trains her eyes upon him again, a look of more OBVIOUS malice entering her gaze despite the playfullness in which she speaks.

        PLEASE DON’T MAKE HER DO THIS. Oh please, simply let Harley drop whatever twisted scheme Joker has fed her as swiftly as she dropped the mallet. Unlike Batman, Diana has yet to acquire a distaste for CLOWN CREATURES. Especially not the youthful one in colorful pigtails. She approaches her slowly, as though attempting to calm a RABID dog, has had much success with doing so actually. Perhaps she’ll replicate that here. A soft smile blossoms, playing up the evident ADMIRATION she’s inspired in Gotham’s most famous jester. See. She is much, much nicer than the caped crusader. Let’s KEEP IT that way, please. 

      ❝ In the SPIRIT of proving the newspapers wrong, will you follow me, Harley? Without any tricks or whistles? I simply wish to take you somewhere safe. ❞ Not with Joker, she means. And someone must cease the MADNESS eventually. They cannot allow this DERANGED dance to continue.

        If Harley disagrees, she’ll use the lasso, without hesitance. Don’t make her do this. ❝ A place with warm food, and perhaps I’ll….sign something for you? ❞ Oh yes, she’s DESPERATE.

     there is a BRIEF moment where she is calmed by that smile that appears on wonder woman’s face, where the very LIGHT of it manages to strike through to her heart. it’s not HARD, really, harley felt so much so STRONGLY. but at the words of one of the hero’s she looked up to ASKING her to drop the fight and go with her, a certain conflict arises within her. she cannot FIGHT wonder woman. harley knows this, and YET she would rather be destroyed by the other than give up and face joker’s wrath. at least this way he might be VAGUELY proud of her.

          “ ya don’t talk ta batsy much do ya? i can’t jus’ go an; do that WONDERGAL. it doesn’t work like that. yer beautiful and STRONG and inspirin’ but i have my PLACE -- and it’s against the good guys like you. “

      her grip tightens on her mallet -- an UNEASE inside despite the smile on her face. maybe even after whatever happens she can still manage to get something signed. wouldn’t that be a HOOT? to get something signed by someone she was DEFEATED by. but that doesn’t mean her fighting spirit would disappear. with a soft HUFF she lifts the mallet to point at the other -- blue eyes sparkling in the light.

   Gundham had been heading through the hall, generally ignoring everyone. His attention was focused completely on the hamster he has in his hands. San-D had been insistently trying to get his attention. It looks like she was hungry and it wasn’t even time for her meal. So out comes the seeds. Thus, he doesn’t notice the girl flipping through the halls until she is right in front of him.

   The breeder comes to a complete stop, surprise on his features as she invades his personal space. He just freezes, face slowly slipping back into his customary glare. Who does she think she is, getting up close and personal with one of his Four Dark Devas of Destruction? At least most people have the decency to ask before making cute noises at his Devas. He pulls the hamster away when she finally steps back, depositing San-D back in his scarf.

   “Her name is ‘Supernova Silver Fox’ San-D,” Gundham announces, voice dripping disdain as his arms cross over his chest. “And my Four Dark Devas are always pleased by praise. However, one should have the courtesy to request an audience first.”

       “ right -- yer absolutely right MISTAH! i didn’t mean ta be rude or anythin’! “

    she’s still positively GIDDY, even if there is a bit of disappointment at the fact that the hamster has now disappeared. pale hands raise in a HALF apology as she peers at him now instead. that DISDAINFUL look and arms crossed before his wide chest -- where has she seen that before? there’s a moment before she gets it. this general dissatisfaction reminds her of a certain BAT home in gotham. it makes her briefly wonder how the young vigilante was coping without his FAVORITE villains around. 

   but that’s in gotham -- and this is hope’s peak, school for the ELITE. they were here because joker wanted to infiltrate it to build his own army but harley found herself AMAZED by all of the talent that surrounded her. she actually LIKED it here despite the fact that joker would likely make them leave soon. speaking of which, he PROBABLY wouldn’t like it if she was talking to some other man -- but oh well -- she may as well now that she is HERE.

    a wide smile stretches her features, FRIENDLY in spite of the intimidation pouring out of him. if anything -- it FUELED her normal persona more than if he had been friendly. besides she LOVES animals. she’s not about to let that slip.

  “ na-na-na-na~! “  

     harley’s mischief tonight is of a far LESSER caliber - a SIMPLE joke she had poured some time into, and TONIGHT was the big reveal. in comes the harlequin in an IMMITATION bat suit decked out in her signature red and black. RED cape flows behind her as she sprints toward the other girl only to JUMP to a complete stop. hands settle upon her hips as she STARES into the distance -- clown makeup still vaguely visible under the cowl she has on.

Jon floated down behind harley as he saw explosions going off left and right in the area as he decided to check it out. “You know in all honesty i should take you away for destruction of public property but i’ll give you a chance why are you doing this?”

       she VISIBLY jumps at the sudden voice behind her -- whirling on one foot in a LESS than graceful movement. when her eyes BEFELL his form she gave a little groan. what does a girl have to do around her to get some ALONE time? but she could play. her head tilts in an innocent gesture, GRINNING up at him.

     Oswald had been caught up in his own thoughts that night -as he often was- when Harley came across him which is why he didn’t hear her humming nearby. Once she spoke up, he found himself jolting slightly in shock and turning around to face Harley with widened eyes. “Bloody hell, Harley. Y’gotta be more careful sneaking up behind people around here.” He took a moment to compose himself before speaking again. “Not particularly no. Wish I was, but unfortunately I haven’t really decided what to do tonight, but I’m sure you’re up to something like you usually are.”

does her GRIN grow at the fact that she managed to STARTLE him? of course it does. stealth wasn’t ALWAYS her thing on account of her talkative nature. but the look on his FACE -- it draws laughter from deep iside and she doubles over for a moment with it.

       “ be careful? now why in th’ world would i want ta do that? bein’ careful isn’t who i am! “

   but as she straightens up, wiping at her eyes a bit dramatically, a hand comes to be placed on her hip. and so he DASHES her hopes of joining along for the ride of something INTERESTING. but hey, that doesn’t mean she needs to stop talking.

     “ nah -- puddin’s real BUSY tonight so i hit th’ road for the time bein’. i don’t have anythin’ ta do at all. which is why i was HOPIN’ ya had somethin’ up your sleeve.