Harley Quinn And The Joker

Mockingbird

"Here." Black Seven threw the mask over to me and I caught it, actually relieved to see him - exhausted, but alive. Both of his hands were covered in dry blood but other than that, he looked unharmed.

Damian curiously ran over to him, his eyes glistening as he asked about the happenings after Black Seven destroyed the cameras and communication system of the mask I gave him.

"What happened?" Damian stared at Black Seven who let himself fall onto the ground with his eyes closed. "Back off, kid." He mumbled and yawned, already half asleep.

"Come on, tell us." I put the mask down on the chair and walked over to him, looking down at the tired face of his. "This is important!" 'And I'm also dying of curiosity, you psycho!'

His eyes red of tiredness and exhaustion, he licked his lips and ran his bloody fingers through his hairs and sat up. "Fine. But da day will come when imma escalate 'cause two douchebags ain't gon' shut up 'bout private things." He was obviously so tired, he started shaking.

"Neither of us was up fo' real fightin' so we relaxed a lil bit by swingin' ta some random crap song." Black Seven's eyes closed while he kept talking so slow I thought he was not even getting anymore what he said.

"He was tired 'n' exhausted from his first day, I was too bored so that arrangement worked out. We got us some drinks an' he told me 'bout what he wanted ta do now that he was back." Black Seven yawned and Damian rose an eyebrow. "Oh dear, really?"

"Of course not!" Was the angry, annoyed answer. "What ta hell did ya think?" He glared at Damian and I almost smiled at this. "I'm glad he didn't stab ta frack outta me aftawards! Now go 'way, I wanna sleep. 'Cuz this job is harder than passin' as sane in a world as sick as this." And with that, he let himself fall back down onto the floor.

Still, I needed to know one more thing. "Where does the blood on the gloves come from?" I asked and stared at him until he grinned.

"Slaughtered a goat to the Greek god Dionysus." Black Seven still had his eyes closed and smiled in the usual crazy way. "See, it's because of moments like that where I don't know if you're joking or not." It really was confusing - especially because he was the kind of crazy that could make you believe that pigs could fly.

Black Seven opened his left eye and kept smiling. "The truth comes in many ways and forms." He pointed at me and moved his blood covered pointer finger in circles. "And if I was you, I'd take the hint. 'Cause he's just gettin' started."

I tilted my head in confusion. "What are you talking about? And I swear, if this blood is from one of Gotham's civ--" Black Seven immediately interrupted me and looked at me with angry eyes. "I promised ya I wouldn't harm any civilians. Don'tch trust me with thissss?"

"I do. Sorry." I looked right back into his eyes. "No problem." He stepped back and started to grin again. "I could tell you." His eyes widened and Black Seven ran the bloody glove over his face while he twitched in excitement. "But th-ha-hat would ta-hake all da fun outta it!" I gulped in disgust as he started to lick the blood off his lips. "Besides, you're da detective, not me. An' if ya really are worried 'boutcha city, then why am I wearin' this Halloween costume?"

Fair enough. 'Maybe I should take on the Joker by myself.' My thoughts were causing chaos in my mind as well as my emotions. "Damian, you wait down here. I have to talk to Black Seven in private."

"Gotcha, father." He ran over to the computer and kept an eye on the screens that were linked to the police,stations so I could be informed at any time if there was some sort of crime going on.

♦♦

"What really happened?" I asked Black Seven as we sat down in the living room - more like a living hall, though. Having no clue at all, he tilted his head after he gently placed it on the table in front of him. "Whatcha talkin' bout?"

I had done some research about his past and though I didn't come up with much more than some photos and a - possibly - inaccurate date of birth, he seemed a bit shocked as I handed him the file containing the infos.

"What made you the way you are? And I'm not asking because I am nosey but because I really want to help you." I took the file back from him and he immediately went from shocked and surprised to tired and happy.

"Look, Batsy, I ain't got no time fo' dis." He stood up and was obviously barely able to keep his eyes open. "But would it make ya feel betta if I toldcha da name my parents gave me?" Black Seven rubbed his eyes and let out a giant yawn while I was baffled by the way he talked to me - but I also kept in mind he possibly wouldn't tell me the truth, though.

"It'd help." I said and stood up as well, stepping a bit closer to him. "And I'll promise you I won't do background research. Because I could also trust you with my secret identity."

Black Seven stared at me, more asleep than anything else and moved his head closer to mine. "They used ta call me..." He looked deep in my eyes with the most serious face and blinked as he continued: "waste of oxygen." He quickly jumped back, laughing at the way I stated at him.

"Aw, don't look at me like that, ya knew I can't stay sane--" Black Seven scratched his face again and kept shaking in excitement. "Ha, I mean serious. Though both are ta same to me."

Shaking my head, I almost felt kind of happy having him around. Somehow, in his own, crazy way, he cheered me up. But I'd never say that out loud. "Yeah, ha-ha. Veeery funny."

"Nah, ya know what's fun?" Black Seven looked at me like a little fangirl with his hands waving as if he was a twelve year old kid meeting Kim Kardashian.

"You gimme a name! I mean, why not? I'm not gonna tell ya my true name, anyway." His eyes opened a bit wider as I sighed. Black Seven was like a little child, always up for some game. How much he reminded me of a less brutal version of the Joker.

"That'd be crazy." I simply answered and rolled my eyes.

"Says the man dressed as a bat." Black Seven rose an eyebrow and smiled.

"Excuse me, but right now, you are the crazy person here." I pointed at his batsuit and he nodded. "Fair point."

I rubbed my forehead and finally gave up trying to have a rational conversation with him. "Y'know what, imma letcha call me Jay. As in Mockingjay. Since all yer lil sidekicks have bird's names. And I like to mock people." Black Seven chuckled. "But don't consider me as a sidekick. That may come later, though." He smiled creepily and I narrowed my eyes.

"Those animals are called mockingbirds and not whatever you meant."

Black Seven tilted his head. "You don't watch a lotta TV, eh?" He grinned, then disappeared in his bedroom, leaving me wondering about what he said earlier. Take the hint. 'What does he mean by that?'