[network] @gravedigger; video; Morning 120 [open] [ warnings: Joker, possibly also character death]

[harlequinofhate]

[The Joker looks down at the camera, which is either on a table or in his lap. His features are haggard and he's wearing a makeshift purple scarf. Outside of this, there are few details to take in. With the lighting it's impossible to tell where he is.]

Hallo, Norfin-fury, on a scale from one to ten, one being "abysmal" and ten being "I've had better" how's YOUR week been?

[He coughs into his fist.]

Well, it's about to get even better.

While the rest of you mouth-breathers have been loafing around in the snow I've been a busy little bee. Ace chemist, remember?

[He taps the side of his head.]

Sooo who's to say I haven't been concocting all kinds of wonderful toys since I got here? Maybe I even hid them around town. Along walls. In the tunnels. I'd say you have aboouuut...

[He licks his lips and rolls his sleeve back, showing a childish drawing of a watch on his wrist.]

....Oh, 24 hours, give or take a skosh.

[He drops his chin into his palm.]

After that I'm getting this party started and we'll put the "boom" in "boomtown". Thank me for the warning, by the way. Let nobody say the Joker isn't a sporting man.

...I'm sure that the hive will wake the heck up two minutes from me posting this. Don't bother looking for me. If ya do there will be another death on your hands. This time it really is a hostage situation.

Just keep your mind on the prize: Finding my bombs. All of them. Look high, look low.

Keep moving....keep moving....

[His eyes turn slightly crazed, as if haunted by a recent memory as he reaches down and turns off the tablet. The last thing he says sounds like "Follow the Spiral".]

Comments

[harlequinofhate]

without him there is no fun in anything

anymore

[brokethefirst]

Then why do you keep doing it?

[harlequinofhate]

I don't know

[brokethefirst]

You don't know, or you don't want to say?

[harlequinofhate]

I don't know

I don't know why I do it.

>> afternoon 120

[brokethefirst]

[She doesn't respond. Not for a long while, anyway. She'd intended to just drop the conversation there, feeling like she was being played.

But then the obituaries showed up.]

You said you wouldn't hurt Clayton.

[harlequinofhate]

And I am a man of my word.

[brokethefirst]

He's dead.

How is that keeping your word?

[harlequinofhate]

He died painlessly.

And quickly.

A far better fate than what waits for most of us around here.

>> audio

[brokethefirst]

[She had figured his answer would be something akin to what he sends her. But it doesn't dull the punch, nor does it stop her from having to collect her composure before switching to audio. Not a smart move, she will probably realize later, but she can't keep a response so apathetic and uncaring for someone who just confessed to murder.]

What... what is wrong with you?

He tried to help you... h-he went with you willingly to help, and y-you...

How could you?!

>> audio

[harlequinofhate]

[Joker switches to audio himself.]

He wasn't following the dang spiral!

He...wasn't....

>> audio

[brokethefirst]

Why does that matter??

There wasn't... wasn't anything funny about this! About him, or the spiral... There wasn't any point, was there?? And you... y-you still...

[Her voice breaks. She barely catches it, the dry beginning of a sob, before she simply hangs up on him.

She still doesn't think he's a monster. But he's definitely a lunatic.]

>> audio

[harlequinofhate]

[A wet cough.]

I don't remember....

[He grumbles that. There is no remorse to his voice, there never is, but there is a note of genuine confusion.

Killing Clayton had felt important in the moment. He was trying to guide Joker off the Spiral....

Joker remembers that intense drive to follow the Spiral. He remembers the spirit who put him on it.... But try as he might he cannot emotionally connect to the memory. It plays back in his mind's eye like a recording, something that happened to someone else.

Yes, he remembers it but not the feeling of it. Why did it matter?

It's a good question. ]