Don't forget to smile

PUTTING THE FUN IN FUNERAL

IC PORTION; BASICS — 

CHARACTER NAME/ALIAS: Harleen Frances Quinzel / Harley Quinn  FACECLAIM: Amanda Seyfried  AFFILIATIONS: ISATF AGE: 36 

SIX TRAITS:

+ Cheerful: Harley is an upbeat person, always swinging her hammer with a smile on her face- she loves herself, loves her life, and can always be counted on to bring joy to her team. Well, that is, if you find her particular brand of enthusiasm a good thing. Still, she’s one who’s hard to put down in the dumps and is always doing things with a skip to her step

+ Loyal: Perhaps to a fault, Harley is extremely loyal to the people she deems important to her. She’d follow you to the ends of the Earth if you mean something to her. She’ll kill, fight, steal, anything for her loved ones.

+ Intelligent: An expert with the inner workings of the mind and a social butterfly, Harley knows what she’s talking about (well. Most of the time, at least). She’s book-smart, but she’s also street smart. She picks things up easily and is quick to understand complicated concepts.

- Inconsistent: From her mood swings to her behavior, barely anything about Harley is consistent. She’s a loose canon, going off without consulting others and blurting random thoughts with no hesitation. She tends to get herself hurt by jumping into danger- and then there are the moments where she stands back. Where she’s distant, quiet. Unpredictable is the name of the game

- Emotionally Unstable: At the moment, Harley is unfortunately not in a stable state of mind. She’s been manipulated to the point of infatuation, abused and traumatized- her temper is short, her emotions are strong, and she’s ready to burst more often than not.

- Lost: Harley is almost the definition of a lost soul, searching for a purpose outside of her toxic relationship. She’s starting to realize how she’s been mistreated, but she doesn’t entirely understand and is still coming to terms with it. It’s going to be a long and painful process, but she knows she needs to find her true place in life.

POWERS AND/OR ABILITIES: 

Adept psychiatrist

Gymnastics

Acrobatics

Hand-to-hand combat

Skilled with firearms and other weapons

WEAKNESSES: 

Harley’s only human- unfortunately easy to kill

Unstable mental state

IC PORTION; DETAILS — WHAT BROUGHT YOUR CHARACTER TO SOKOVIA?  While working under the intense supervision of Amanda Waller, Harley was sent into Sokovia to take out one Pamela Isley before she assassinates Jason Woodrue.

FUN FACTS:

Harley is not stupid. She purposefully makes herself seem ditzy and clueless as a way to surprise her opponents. Originally, this trend started with her acting like an idiot around the Joker so he would feel smarter than her 

Harley is absolutely devastated that Bud and Lou, her pet hyenas, are stuck with the Joker because she misses them dearly. They’re her babies!

Harley is bisexual although she’s only ever had male partners. That doesn’t mean she’s not down to experiment though!

She is Jewish on her mother’s side and tries often to connect to that side of her history

CHARACTER BIO —

For someone as notoriously deranged as Harleen Quinzel, one might assume her upbringing had been traumatic- disastrous in every way, with crime and danger at every turn. Someone assuming such would be disappointed to learn that Harley lived a fairly normal life with a fairly normal childhood. Born in Brooklyn, Harley was always intelligent. She was an honor student, with high aspirations and the cleverness it took to reach them. Harley took gymnastics all throughout her life, doing cheer in her later years, and when it came time for her to pick her path in life, she chose psychology.

Attending Gotham University, Harley found herself excelling in her studies once again and eventually she graduated with honors and a degree in hand. Spending her early career working in treatment facilities and hospitals, she always felt like something wasn’t clicking. She was doing what she loved, but it just wasn’t enough. When she realized that Arkham Asylum was looking for new staff members, something inside her just couldn’t say no- and so she became Doctor Harleen Quinzel, a psychiatrist at the institute. 

Arkham was intimidating to say the least- with all the super criminals, murderers, and all manner of so-called “deranged lunatics” living in the halls. Harley was overjoyed- ecstatic even! Finally, she knew she was in the right place. It was here that she could do good work, that she could make a difference and overcome challenges that others in her field had stumbled into. It was this thinking that unfortunately changed her life forever.

Dr. Quinzel worked with many patients in the Asylum, from the likes of Pamela Isley to that of Killer Croc. However, when the psychiatrist who was taking care of the Joker quit.. Harley was the first (and only) in line to take his place. No-one before her had managed to crack the case of the Clown Prince, no-one before her could understand him, and she was determined to be the one he finally opened up to. It was because of her single-mindedness that, when the Joker ‘opened up’ to Harley, she believed him.

He talked to her endlessly, and she believed him. He lied, she believed, and she listened, and soon enough Harleen Quinzel was in love.

He called her Harley Quinn and they both laughed at the pun. He told her about his childhood, his distress, the truth inside his heart, and Harley knew he didn’t belong in the Asylum. That she had to get him out, that she had to set him free so they could be together. And so, in a harlequin Hallow’s Eve costume, she broke into the Asylum and helped the Joker escape. He led her to ACE Chemicals, told her of his creation, and convinced her that the chemicals were the only way to be truly free from the constraints of the world around them.

The rest is confetti.

Harleen Quinzel died in the chemical vat that night, and Harley Quinn was created. A love story to last, a tale of romance and crime and bats and violence and it was perfect in her mind. She couldn’t see how the Joker abused her, tormented her- sure, she had to pretend to be stupid so he wouldn’t hurt her, but he was so kind when she did what he wanted and he was so sweet when she brought him back gold and diamonds that she’d blown an entire bank up to get. She loved him, she really did.

He never loved her, though. 

That was something she never realized, something that she still doesn’t- that the Joker was never in love with her, was only using her. She never gave up on him, though. When he was prosecuted, sent back to Arkham, she went on a rampage- and sure, Batman caught her and sent her to prison, but he always did that. This time was different though. She was taken from her cell, implanted with a bomb, and told that she was part of the Suicide Squad. That she worked for a woman named Waller, that she would be killed if the mission didn’t kill her first. She’s still there now, and her imagined fantasy world of true love is beginning to shatter- where’s her Mr. J? Her puddin’? Why is she stuck away from her adoring boyfriend, her favorite person? 

  Harley has been sent to Sokovia now, across the ocean from Gotham, her Gotham, sent after a lost asset. She knows she’s close, so close to being let off the hook- to being able to go home! She just needs this one last job, she’s sure of it. She’ll be able to see her love. Harley will see her Joker again. She just knows it.

…

Rose could feel it: that blinding rage, clawing up the back of her throat, raw and white and all-consuming. “Afraid?” Rose echoed, the laugh that followed fully hollow. “No, I’m not afraid. But I certainly have a fuckin’ problem with clowns, especially the clown lady that followed the Joker around like a goddamn puppy.” There was something of a history there, a wound still unhealed even all these years later. Rose may not have ever had an actual personal problem with the Joker, but her problems with the clown of Gotham were still fresh considering he’d taken the most important person in her life to the grave all those years ago. “I read the brief.” Rose was still staring at Harley, debating leaving clownette to her own devices on this mission. “I don’t need the recap. We’re looking for Poison Ivy. I assume there’s nothing progress-wise to add since the last notes were entered in the case file?”

.

Harley’s expression twisted, mocking grin turning to withering scowl as Rose mentioned the Joker- her Joker. She had no right to talk about them like she knew what her relationship was like- and to hear her sound so.. so mean when she mentioned Mr. J? It hit a nerve. But Harley didn’t say a word, instead, giving Rose a simple huff as she kept talking. Whatever.

…

Harley. That wasn’t a name she’d ever heard before but she liked it. And the girl was different from what she knew. “It’s nice to meet you too.” Her accent was familiar and not in a way. She sounded like a more exaggerated version of Steve and even a little bit of Bucky even if his accent was mostly gone now. “Are you from New York?” she asked. “And has anyone ever told you you sound like Lucy from the show I Love Lucy?” That was one of Wanda’s favorites. Lucy and Ricky had been on reruns her whole life but she didn’t mind reruns at all. “My mama and I used to watch that show together.”

She was stronger physically than Wanda if she could lift all those bags. Once again Wanda was thankful she intervened. Her eyes scanned for a bench and when she found one she sighed in relief. “Over here?” she suggested to Harley. She shifted Tommy from her back to her front so she could sit with both babies leaning on her chest while she set down the diaper bag she had with her. From it came two bottles of formula, one for each baby. “Are you with the UN?” 

.

“I sure am!” Harley said with a bright chuckle, following after Wanda as they made their way to the bench. Her expression warmed as the mother mentioned the show- her guess was closer than she thought. “Awh, naw- nobody’s said that. But thanks! I used’ta love that show.”

Setting down the bags next to the bench, Harley settled herself down next to Wanda. Her eyes examined the little ones on her lap, trying to find the similarities between them and their mom. She was a pretty woman and her kids would probably grow up to be pretty themselves. At Wanda’s question, Harley snorted and gave a small shrug. “Somethin’ like that, yeah. I’m security for one of the staff. Today’s my day off.”

Not the truth, but really this lady didn’t need to hear about her adventures with Jason Woodrue. Plus, she’d probably get killed for spilling the top secret beans.

“How ‘bout you? You local?”

…

“Thank you so much,” she sighed out with a sheepish laugh. The woman was an angel clearly and Wanda wasn’t even sure she believed in those. “My car isn’t far away. There’s just a lot of stuff here.” Wanda shifted the still crying twins to the side a little so she could hold out her hand to the other. “I’m Wanda,” she introduced.

She didn’t wait long for the handshake because she had to turn back to the boys. “Sorry,” she said. The babies had more of her attention to demand anyways. Wanda started by lifting up Billy to put her forehead on his. He didn’t speak any kind of language yet so she couldn’t speak to him telepathically but she could soothe him by showing him her calmness. She did the same to Tommy. Sometimes if she really focused she could figure out what was wrong with them in more specific terms than just trial and error.

She did this by showing him pictures and reading the simple responses of his emotions. When they connected this way he always stopped crying because the feeling of his mom inside his head was enough to take all his focus. His eyes were wide and focused on her and she managed to figure out that he was hungry. Tommy stopped crying when Billy did so he was a little less complicated. Checking the time on her phone, Wanda groaned. It was past feeding time.

“Before we do that,” Wanda said to the woman helping her. “Would it be incredibly weird to ask you to sit with me while I feed them? If I don’t they’re just going to keep screaming.”

.

Harley gave the mom’s-, rather, Wanda’s hand a firm shake when it was offered towards her. Wanda. It was pretty for a name- it sounded fantastical in a way. She decided she liked both the name and the woman attached to it. “I’m Harley- It’s real nice t’ meet ya,” she said with a slight laugh. She watched as Wanda tried to calm her kids- really, was that how you were supposed to calm them down? Forehead touching? When the little boy stopped fussing quite so loudly, she blinked- surprised. If it works, it works, but.. well, she’d never had a baby before- no right to judge what was normal with the little buggers.

“I don’t mind incredibly weird questions,” Harley giggled, trying to lighten some of the stress that plagued Wanda. “But nah, I don’t think it would be. I’ll sit wit’cha- why don'cha find a good bench and I’ll get the stuff.” Harley gathered up Wanda’s assembled items, adjusted the bags in her arms, and gave the mother an encouraging smile.

Wanda knew the babies needed more things than she had at the Mousehole. It hadn’t occurred to her that she might be able to create those things because Wanda was still trying to manage the fact that she had made these babies. So she put in a request for some money to buy them what they needed. The problem was that she was going to have trouble getting everything to the car she borrowed to do the job. She had to get two of pretty much everything and she hadn’t thought it through to ask someone like Bucky, Steve or even Natasha for help carrying it all. She’d already bought a crib capable of holding the two of them comfortably but when she stood in the boutiques designed for babies the helpful shop owners began asking her questions she didn’t know the answers to. She asked questions about if Wanda was nursing and when she said she wasn’t there was a definite air of disdain for that ‘choice’. Not that Wanda had a choice about it at all. Then she was sure they spent an hour just going over formula types. A nosy younger woman butted in when Wanda told the shop owner that she only wanted one crib and went on about ‘safe sleep’ and how the twins shouldn’t sleep together in one bed because it could kill them. Very quickly Wanda began to get overwhelmed and the longer she was out the more anxious she got about all of it. When the babies were ‘born’ she was happily living in the bubble of love that came from them. Now the reality that she had no idea what she was doing set in.

The car wasn’t far but Wanda was so focused on trying to get away from all the accusatory tones and the rain of questions that she was considering leaving it all in the streets and trying again some other time. Both the twins began to wail when they felt her discomfort and the noise was attracting attention. Wanda’s heart beat faster and she nearly yelped in surprise as the blonde lady approached her and started talking to her in a voice that was definitely not from Sokovia. Another American then. Probably here with the UN or something.

“I uhm…” Her arms wrapped around the babies and she tried to bounce them to make them happy. “Sorry I know they’re loud. I probably should have left them with someone to watch. I don’t want to be any trouble.”

.

The woman was freaked out- stressing over her kids, her stuff, her everything. Yeah, she needed them help. Not that Harley was much into helping folks ‘round here, but she wasn’t a monster. If nobody else was going to stop for the poor lady with her two babies, then Harley would. At the woman’s surprise, she gave a sheepish, almost apologetic smile and held up her hands in a mock surrender pose for a moment in lieu of an actual apology for startling her. 

“Oh, no- no, don’t worry ‘bout it, hon,” Harley said, a bit of a laugh in her voice to try and ease the woman’s stress. She gave another smile, this one as kind as she could make it. She really was out of practice with this whole helping out thing. At this rate, she might as well start helping little old ladies cross the street. “You’re not any trouble, I promise. I just thought’cha might need someone t’help ya carry some of that. Or hold the lil’ ones while ya pack the car.”

Was that what she had thought? Maybe. Or maybe she didn’t really think before she offered her assistance. Either way, she was strong enough to lift a baby or two if need be.

Matchak wasn’t exactly what one might call a bustling town- especially compared to Gotham City -but there was more than enough excitement to keep Harley preoccupied and sway her boredom from time to time. Mostly, she enjoyed the square. The hustle and bustle made her excited, it made her giddy. The carts, the chatter, the whole thing- it was so fun. She missed fun. She didn’t mind the whole government agency prisoner bit sometimes when she could just live it up in the town for a few hours.

This hour was one of those hours, and Harley practically skipped through the plaza whirling from vendor to vendor, performer to performer, all with a grin on her face. That was, until she spotted a lovely looking lady who appeared to be struggling with a pile of shopping bags and two little whining tiny tots. Weighing the options and finding she had nothing better to do at the moment, Harley pranced her way over and gave the woman a bright smile.

“Hey there, mama!” she said with perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm. “Y’need some help with all’a this? Looks like there might be a lot on ya plate.”