thedawniscoming | [rl] Harvey, Tony, Joker and Crane

Gotham was disgusting and Tony Stark was starting to hate it. Seeing the decaying worth of the city in the wake of Harvey's 'loss,' in Batman's 'fall'-- it was no Miami. It was his second time out tonight, a brief interlude back to Wayne Manor was to the point-- Charge and tighten the suit up, have Jarvis download new headlines, try to intercept any relevant information and it was going... slow.

Look for Harvey, don't harm him. Look for him. Bring him back.

He scanned below him, aimlessly heading to the heart of the city, Jarvis low in his ear, reciting passages from Jurassic Park to pass the time-- Until he stopped.

"And then...?"

"I have intercepted a relevant transmission, sir."

"Report."

"Anonymous tip, east of here. They have Harvey Dent's location."

"Navigate me," he hissed, suit giving a whine as the repulsors flared, shooting him in the direction Jarvis dictated. Even if it ended up being a dud, he couldn't risk not going.

That same "anonymous" tip isn't so anonymous for Joker, who knows every last one of his goons by nickname. The one formerly known as "Prancer" has been trailing Harvey for a while now, and it's only just now that Joker's decided to take over that particular duty. After all, you can't really trust these guys with secrets.

Poor little Harvey, he thinks, already slipping into the building from an entrance lower on the block, People keep messing with him. Really needs to stop.

Joker can, occasionally, be decently prepared - and tonight is definitely no exception. If he's going to play with a guy like Iron Man, he's going to play hardball. After a moment of checking out the old building, Joker calls in eight heavily armed men - two of which are carrying a nicely sized case between them. Joker hushes them when they bang into an old pipe, but he's too giddy to really care.

This is gonna be fun.

Harvey leaned against one of the grimy walls, quietly surveying the area for any sign of life other than what vermin might scurry about. The thin layer of dust was enough to ease his mind that he was alone, so planning then-

A place to stay, a way to survive. He flipped his coin unconsciously, rolling it in his fingers- Are you going to pull a quarter from behind my ear next? Cute Harvey, how-

His head shot up at a sound, turning sharply. The suit was certainly a recognizable enough for his good eye to narrow.

"Tony." He said. "Being Bruce's errand boy?"

"Something like that," the mechanical voice rose above the hiss of his repulsors, suit shifting to float midair. Fuck, he was messed up-- He'd seen it before but in real life it was just... It was disgusting. It was sad. He hadn't talked to Harvey much but he had liked him and he regretted it for Bruce's sake.

"I need you to come with me," it rang again as he made to land.

Harvey watched him blandly, coin still twirling between his fingers. "Bruce wants me to break my promise?" he asked, tilting his head.

"I'm afraid I can't do that Tony." he said in the same calm tone, as though it was all that needed to be said for the man to leave.

"He wants you safe," the voice distorted for emphasis, boots making a heavy noise as they hit the ground. At 6'6", Tony Stark was willing to try and be as intimidating as possible.

"I'm not so sure there's a choice in the matter. Sorry, Harvey."

Joker casts a glance around his group of thugs, having heard most of the conversation (at least, he's heard Tony's side) through the walls. He gestures for the two carrying the weapon-case - now unlocked and ready for quick unloading - to follow him out; the rest of his goons flanking behind them.

He strolls right on in behind Harvey, grinning broadly so that every last one of his yellowed teeth show. "Harv, is the big tin can annoying you?" He makes sure to keep half-way behind the ex-DA, just so Tony won't... do anything stupid. "Let us handle him."

Harvey kept his gaze steady on Tony as he spoke the last bit, everything in his stance tensing to show he didn't plan on going so quietly even if it was a fruitless effort. Before anything more could happen a voice behind him made Harvey's head jerk to the side, good eye sliding to catch a glimpse of the glasglow grin.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He ground out, tone venomous - you were a schemer, you had 'plans,' and uh- look where that got you.

The head snapped up to Joker, and if only he could see Tony's face. The man in person, the man that did this to Harvey and killed Rachel. Not that he knew her, it wasn't personal, it was revenge on someone else's behalf-- that was justified, right?

He squared his shoulders, standing tall, voice cold as only that digital voice could manage, "Don't get involved."

He didn't want to admit the fear in the pit of his belly, or the safety protocols that Jarvis was vomiting into his ear. It was like hearing his last rights.

Should the chassis be damaged beyond repair, you must not fight any longer. Do not allow the spine of the suit to be damaged too thoroughly as it may lock up the mechanisms that control your legs. The cusp where the lid of your mask and chin is sensitive and must not be damaged; any taken could result in loss of sight and the stability of the helmet. If you lose that, Mr. Stark, you lose me.

And I'm alone.

Well, fuck.

"Harvey," he said, imploring, "Do you really want to... be that? It doesn't have to be this way. Come with me."

Joker, like a dog, can practically smell fear - panic is such an easy thing to detect, even through metal plating. He slides to the side (not enough to open up himself for much damage) and reaches out a hand. Within moments, the box is dropped and the two grunts of his are handing him a long, sleek looking weapon that's very nearly as tall as him. He wastes little time in leveling it at Tony, all the smugness gone from his expression.

Now, he's just pissed.

"I thought I told you, tincan - Gotham is Batman's territory. You're on a whole new field, Mr. Stark."

He pauses, however - Crane is going to be so irritated with him, he knows it, but... well, the Doctor needs to lighten up anyways.

"Harv," he growls, sounding rather good-natured compared to his expression, "Are you gonna, uh, flip your coin, or are you pretty sure which side of the fence you're on by now?"

Tony's right, part of Harvey knows it, fully ready to turn around and beat the clown's face in for the iron clad man. He's right but Joker's words trigger- how do you know what's right? What you thought was right killed her. Tony was a good man. Gordon was a good man.

He looked back up at Tony, pulling the coin out of his pocket even with his back to the clown. We all deserve the same chance after all Harvey. That's what law is about. "I told Bruce Tony- it's out of my hands." He punctuated the words with a coin flip, slapping the metal against the back of his hand before removing it to show the blackened side of the metal.

For a moment he stared, expression warring before becoming unreadable as he turned his back to Tony. "It's your game." He said, glaring at the Joker as he walked to the side.

Edited 2009-01-14 09:09 (UTC)

"Harvey--!" the digital voice hissed, head turning a fraction as his eyes glanced quick between the two of them. Was this really happening? Really? These cartoon wackjobs leaving everything up to facepaint and flipping coins, it was fucking bullshit.

Flaps tilted at his shoulders and arms, plates shifting as if to reveal weapons beneath. Missiles, actually, and for as tempted as he was to use them, he wouldn't. He couldn't risk killing Harvey-- Maybe if he just... flew at him, snatched him right up. Well, he had the suit and Joker had a glorified rocket launcher. He'd danced this dance before, it wasn't anything new.

That at least steeled his stomach as he rose a hand quick, a lout shot as his repulsor shot at Joker but a goon was just as quick to leap in front of him, take the hit that blew half his fucking face off. Tony reeled, horrified, but reminded himself that if they worked for Joker, they weren't innocent.

He'd take them out. He could do this, he could-- He could do this for Bruce, he'd prove he could fight his own fights and he could hold his own. Jarvis was asking something urgently but he didn't listen, launched into his air with excessive thrust. He had to pay attention, he couldn't fuck this up.

Edited 2009-01-14 09:20 (UTC)

Joker doesn't so much as bat an eyelash as he's fired at, glancing briefly at the goon that had pretty much saved his life. "Aheh. Can't find better help than that."

His eyes follow Tony as he lifts off, squinting a little. It's a fancy suit, and it'd sure be fun to play with it - but that'd be for later. Right now, he has to get the lead out, so to speak.

"My turn," he mumbles, pressing his fingers against the trigger, trying to find the right moment... "Oh, fuck it," he chuckles, pressing down on the trigger and launching the missile at Tony with a mad laugh - already one of his goons is scrambling to reload.

He'd anticipated it and it still hit him-- top of the chest, below the neck, sending him back and uneven; his repulsors couldn't balance him enough to keep him airborne and he tumbled to the street leaving a crater where he lay.

Oh. Hell. No.

"Harvey, go," the suit roared as he lifted, both hands rising, bullets firing quick, goons around Joker dropping like flies. I'm not afraid of you, you carny freak. Lets make this fair, just you and me.

There was something almost malicious about the way the suit looked as he approached Joker, intending to take him head on.

Harvey didn't blink as the man's head was caved in, glancing at him before his eyes fell back on the Joker. If he could get under Stark's skin the battle was won for the mad man. Stark was trying to keep him safe and beat the clown- he was already putting himself at a huge disadvantage. Harvey felt something very close to regret but quite easily slid whatever the spark was aside. After all it was out of his hands.

When the words and line of bullets shot out he moved aside, ducking away from the fire but not leaving just yet. He wasn't sure if it was because his coin flip put him on a 'side' of this battle or if it was to make sure the clown didn't truly kill the man Bruce called his good friend. Perhaps both - he had always been double sided.

The thug reloading the launcher drops just before he can lock the rocket into place, and so Joker quickly reaches over to do that for the poor idiot.

"Tony," he says, trying to ignore his own annoyance as the locking mechanism jams, "You know you just, uh, killed a couple of civilians, right? That guy - that guy you blew the face offa - he had a son. Single parent. Haha, maybe his kid'll grow up to be," he grunts, kicking the launcher, "Grow up to be the next Bruce Wayne!"

Actually, Joker has no idea if that's true - but it's probable. Who knows?

"Shut the fuck up," the voice hissed, grabbing the barrel of the launcher and pushing it aside so he could grab Joker by the front of his shirt, hoisting him into the air, "I'm tired of hearing you talk."

He flung him into the brick of the building behind him, following quick. He snarled as he pinned him hard with one hand, tempted to just fire his repulsor and leave a hole the size of a dinner plate there-- But no, he wanted to have fun. He wanted to make him suffer for what of his life he had yet.

Bruce Wayne may of had mercy for the guilty but Tony Stark had none.

Tony reared back and socked him one-- not full strength. Wanted him alive, but definitely wanted him to hurt.

Hurting Joker isn't hard when you have a fist of (literal) steel. His head cracks into the brick and his hands instinctively scrabble against Tony's arm, trying to claw at him even though it's futile.

There's a loud ringing in his ears and the pain is immense - fuck, if Batman could hit him like that...

He gasps and spits out a mouthful of blood (is that a tooth?) onto the other's suit, giggling haltingly as he tries to reorient himself. "Haaa..."

He leers at Tony, eyes locking on as best they can to the suit's eyes. "Haaahaa -- that's it, c'mon, Stark, hit me nice and hard..." Letting go of Tony's arm, he reaches up and dully smacks the side of the helmet, grinning wide with a mouthful of blood. "Do it, you stupid sonofabitch!"

Masochistic little freak.

There was a digital rumble akin to a growl and he crashed the helmet forward in a restrained headbutt. Happy? Sure as hell made me feel like a million bucks.

"I can't wait to kill you."

The sentiment was out before he could stop it and it startled him; even Jarvis's chattering stopped for a moment, a reflective pause that hit Tony like a ton of bricks.

Everything goes black for a few stunning seconds, and Joker blinks his eyes heavily to clear them. He heard that, and it was amazing - and yet...

Joker hisses and mumbles, his mouth feeling full of cotton, "And that's... why you aren't allowed to.... to play in our sandbox." He tries to focus on Tony's helmet, grinning sloppily, "You're too easy to... to... to break down. At least -- at least Batman has stamina."

Harvey's fingers wrapped around his coin tightly, watching the display with gritted teeth clear behind the thin veil of exposed muscle over his cheek. He was furious (he killed her, he destroyed everything, I should be destroying him) and elated- finally the monster was being slain. Maybe all the things the clown said would stop making so much sense, maybe he could go back as Bruce wished-

Another part hesitated; he had flipped, the Joker was 'his side' for this battle and-

Crack.

Before he could consider any further a snap of debris caught his attention, one of the goons with a good portion of his upper arm hanging limply in a mess of cloth and muscle was now holding the rocket launcher steadily, eyes trained with unnatural intensity at Iron Man's back.

The coin slipped from Harvey's fingers as he turned his head, landing with Liberty looking back up at him as Harvey Dent's voice fell from his lips. "Tony-"

A loud bang drowned out the rest of his words as the rocket launched straight at the suit's back.

"I never made promises, Joker. That's the difference. I'm cleaning up the mess he won't touch--"

he'd barely glanced over his shoulder before it hit him like a freight train, forcing the suit forward, helmet embedding into the wall before him with the sheer force of it. Alarms were screaming in his ear, diagnostics running before his eyes letting him know that it was shutting down and quick; his legs were the first to go and they slumped as did the rest of him.

Lucky for Joker, the suit had served as a buffer against the blast and he was for the most part untouched by it save for pinned against the wall by it. His back, still exposed, was a mess of wires and sparks, the inner layer of the spine showing-- so much so that it nearly showed the man himself inside of it. Cracked open like a damn egg.

He knew he shouldn't have used the spare suit at Bruce's place; he should've brought the one routinely upgraded, he shouldn't have avoided doing damage diagnostics on it's weak points and ultimately he should get up.

A hand rose and braced against the wall, pushed back and as he did he got a breeze of cold air against his face and in that moment it was heavenly. A faltering, angry voice in his ear was asking something he couldn't make out and it took looking into that face-shaped hole in the wall to realize his mask had been left behind in it.

"Shit," he was entirely at their mercy. Tony looked to Harvey quick, mind screaming help me you motherfucker, help me but he couldn't say anything-- and it was the silence that summoned Crane.

Juxtaposed to all the carnage around him, he looked perfectly dressed as always, carrying that oh so familiar briefcase.

"You do hire the best ones, Joker," he mused, eyes bright as Tony looked rather like a deer in headlights. Endearing. He should look like that more often!

He propped open the case on some rubble and slipped on the mask, pulling two canisters from within and with an unseen smile, let loose on the pair. For a long moment he relished how Tony struggled violently in his suit, tried to hold his breath, heaved miserable breaths, shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut as if it'd turn it all away.

And then there was Joker. A sacrifice in this situation-- wouldn't be able to get him out without moving Tony and there certainly weren't the resources for that right now. Not for another 15 minutes at least. And Crane wanted to see what would happen.

As if he'd give up the opportunity to properly succumb the Joker. Perhaps he'd understand, now, the appeal.

"How does it feel, Harvey?"

It all happened faster than Harvey could process, a bangcrash and Tony's wide eyes on him, the same expectance Bruce had held, so much so for a moment the name almost left Harvey's lips.

But then Crane slide into the scene, and before Harvey could take a step he was donning that twine stitch smile and poisoning the trapped pair.

Crane's question barely registered in the rush of fury as he took a step forward, good eye livid and the shadows casting a mad glare to the dead one.

"You two used me as bait."He practically shouted- bait for Bruce's friend, for a man Harvey had respected before his fall. Another crack of debris behind him and a wet cough caught his attention once more though he did not turn his head, instead glaring in cold fury at Crane before turning heel.

In one fluid motion he picked up the dropped coin, flipping and catching with an expert precision. A beat and he pried a gun from one of the slaughtered goons, a shot firing in barely a second's time. The man, still clutching the launcher, fell forward, grey matter leaking from the new crack in his skull, the messy thud sounding just as Harvey turned back to Crane.

"How strong." he demanded, asking of the gas Tony and Joker were currently processing. The gun didn't point at Crane but it remained in his hand as he began back over, shackled by chance's decree of where he stood in this struggle, the best he could manage was trying to keep Tony alive and in fewer pieces.

Edited 2009-01-14 16:55 (UTC)

At first, Joker doesn't quite realize what's just happened - all he knows is that he's pinned to a brick wall by an idiot in a suit of armor. The fact that he can't really move usually doesn't have an effect on him, because he knows someone will pull him out, or he'll worm his way free - but the panic at being stuck, trapped, unable to move, get him OFF... it sets in too soon, much, much too quickly to be normal.

When he sees that fucking Scarecrow mask, though - oh, bitch.

"You fucking asshole!"

It's not really the fear of being pinned down - TRAPPED - that's getting to him, not yet; he's always been resiliant and good at fighting off the effects of any drug he doesn't want in his system - but Crane's here and he'll SEE. That's the last thing Joker wants; that fucking bitch will pick his panic attack apart in a fucking second if he lets him.

His hands claw and push at Tony, teeth gnashing as he locks his eyes on Crane - you're dead. "GET HIM OFF." He needs to get the fuck out of here before everything - already seems so big and close and fuck, fuck, THIS SUCKS.

Through the fear toxin's effect, Crane's laugh might've sounded like it was coming for miles, low and mocking. Joker, Joker, you're like me-- you value control over your chaos. You are not afraid of it because you can make it bend to your will-- I can make you afraid of it.

His eyes are emotionless from the ragged holes in the mask, spiders crawling frantically over them and when they turned their heads to joker, they sported clown faces-- manic smiles, dead eyes.

Tony was doing everything he could to keep from looking but when he felt Joker clawing-- the laugh startled him as it was familiar. Obi, Obi standing over him, laughing his fucking head off and Yensen, dead, decaying with half his face blown to fucking hell screaming, clawing at him, 'GET HIM OFF, GET HIM OFF'-- His heart was pounding so hard it rattled through his body and he engaged the thrusters on his hands, launching himself back, legs dragging.

Crane's laugh echoed and he followed him, waited for the repulsors to sputter back out before leaning over him and he gave a sort of half-choked inhale, and Crane pulled a dark rag from his pocket, shoved it over his face. An 'iron' hand threatened his wrist, squeezed and he hissed, but the chloroform worked quick. He would have fun with Tony Stark later.

Tony was grateful as his vision started to fade, that same fritzed, frantic voice in his ear was suddenly clear, deafening him, and when he opened his eyes it was Bruce standing over him, face distorted by the lamp light above them. He spoke low, disappointed, "I told you so." And that hurt worst of all.

The suit's falling back caught Harvey's attention, simultaneously freeing the now drugged madman and Tony. Harvey took the first step towards Tony, mindless intent to help, to escape before a voice in the back of his mind screamed- not your side, not your fight - let's be honest, let's be fair. The last word was in a woman's whisper, more condemning and final than any string of assurances and promises could ever be.

So he turned to the Joker instead, scrutinizing the man like a rabid animal on a snapping leash.

For a few seconds after Tony falls away from him, Joker is reoriented - he can handle this, fuck Crane and his fucking fear, fear is just another facet of chaos and he loves it! Spiders and clowns, fuck, he gobbles those things up like they're breakfast!

But then his eyes lock on the burlap mask of the doctor's and he looks so much closer and bigger and blocking his way and there's no safe way out -

He shrieks, trying to ignore Harvey's half-step closer (though it certainly doesn't help to acknowledge that he's being boxed in on both sides), and lunges at Crane, baring his teeth and reaching out to grab at any possible part of the doctor he can. "I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU. RIP YOU TO SHREDS YOU LITTLE FUCK."

Crane had anticipated this to some degree-- but he hadn't expected Joker to be so... composed. He didn't think he'd be able to move that fast. He barely dodged his hands, stumbling over Tony's limbs as he backed away, laughing.

"Mind your feet."

Harvey side stepped as the madman lunged, roughly grabbing at the back of his purple suit and trying to pull him back away from the doctor and Tony's prone from.

"You idiot, you want him like this? Where the hell is the antidote?" He hissed at Crane, doing what he could to keep the Joker from ripping apart either man before them.

Joker snarls and jerks around in his own jacket, not coherent enough to think to just take the damned thing off - his eyes are focused on Crane; Tony is just a lump on the ground and Harvey's nothing more than a chain right now, holding him back, locking him up--

"LET GO I'M GOING TO KILL YOU-" He sounds angry, he looks angry - but his breath is coming in sharp, small gasps, his throat's constricted and if he doesn't get out of this place right this second he's going to drop dead.

His hands reach out for Crane who's outside his arm's reach and he hisses, "Fix this, now." He'd scream some more, but his mind is telling him he doesn't have enough air to do that.

The mask was slipped off and Crane looked flushed, happy and he dug into his pocket-- Sedative, Antidote, which should he choose?

He pulled a syringe full of dark substance, flicked it open and approached quick, "Stand still," and with a quick jab, it was in Joker's neck, emptied.

Sedative, of course.

"Harvey, take care of him," the rumble of a truck nearly overwhelmed his words, men spilling from it, working quick to hoist the suit up into the thing. Heavier than they expected, of course, but they managed. He nodded to a waiting car, chauffeur ready to take them off quick and safe.

Harvey grabbed the slumping man in his arms, almost bursting into laughter. The man who had destroyed all the order he knew, head tilted back and eye lids fluttering as the sedative slowly took affect. Harvey needed to tilt his head back to prevent the manic noise from leaving his throat, trying to refocus on the situation and the movement's of Crane's men.

"I'm coming with you." He said, hefting the Joker up very much like a oversized sack of flower as he walked over. The idea of Tony left to Crane without any sort of buffer was not one he'd readily agree with. He practically tossed the Joker into the car before turning to face Crane. "You're my 'side' aren't you?"

This surprised Crane-- He hadn't expected Harvey to show... enthusiasm, or perhaps interest toward this. He'd looked so concerned, after all. It'd be beneficial to have Harvey though, to use him... Maybe he'd really become one of those better class of criminals as Joker had ranted. Just maybe.

He just smiled to the question, breezing past with a pat to his shoulder and climbed into the passenger's seat.

The look of frustration on Harvey's face was for the doctor's seat- he'd be stuck in the back with that - instead of the shoulder pat from the man who had nearly killed the love of his life. So he took his seat, pushing aside the limp form of the man who had killed her. The sound or sirens was beginning to creep upon them, muffled as Harvey closed the door and they sped away.

[rl] Harvey, Tony, Joker and Crane

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject