[ WP ] - Joker seeks vengeance for the death of Batman

`` Alfred, we have to stop him.'' Dick said. He was pulling on his gloves. 
 
 `` Master Dick, you'll do no such thing.'' He turned to the dark haired man. He looked so much like Bruce. In manner, and in features now. `` The Joker has a true purpose now, and he is doing what Bruce always did. Taking care of Gotham.'' 
 
 `` But..'' Alfred cut him off. Something that he rarely did. Dick could count the times on one hand, and most of those this last month. 
 
 `` But nothing. Yes, his methods are unorthodox, but so are ours.'' There was an edge to Alfred's voice. Something dark. 
 
 `` You saw what he did to Dent. He left him a bloody pulp.'' Grayson pleaded. 
 
 Alfred turned, and stared him in the eyes. Cold eyes. Eyes that made you remember the man had seen both real wars before becoming a butler, and the war the Bat-family had been waging in Gotham since Bruce had taken the mantle. `` And he left him alive. On the steps of Arkham.'' 
 
 Dick flinched away. Even Bruce when he was alive had n't been able to make him do that. Yes, Dick had lost a father. Again. But Alfred had lost his son. For that's what he was. Bruce was Afred's son. Of that, there was no doubt. 
 
 It had been a little over a month ago. Someone had managed to kill the Batman. In Gotham. On his home turf. Bruce had been on his way to one of the Joker's many hideouts. But he had been ambushed. And that was that. 
 
 Several hours later, the Joker and Harley Quinn knocked on the front door of Wayne Manor. Bruce draped between them. He was already gone. The Joker pleading for Alfred to help make him better. Harley just remaining quiet, already knowing. 
 
 Alfred had the Joker stay in the entrance and brought Harley into the one of the rooms with Bruce. She said the Joker had always known. But his rivalry was with Batman, not Bruce. Going after Bruce Wayne would n't be funny. Going after his Bruce's family would n't be funny. She also said the Joker knew Batman was gone, but she could n't be the one to break his heart. She begged Alfred for him to tell the Joker. 
 
 When Alfred went back out. He did n't have to. The Joker saw the look. He saw the look of a father who lost a son. 
 
 And the Joker was no more. He stormed from the house, Harley chasing behind. 
 
 
 A week later reports criminals began hogtied to lampposts started to appear. With an actual hog being tied to the lamppost with them. That and the giggling. Nothing permanent though. Not the usual Joker gas. A minor variant. Like a calling card. Just something to attract the attention of the police, and maybe drive a point home. 
 
 Then the eye-witness reports. Of a man in motley. A dark fool, hunting, preying on the darker elements of Gotham. With a cruel, but not deadly sense of humor. The clown prince was no more. In his stead stood something out of Lear's court. It was no longer about the laugh. It was about the wit. The sarcasm. The satire. The dark edge of comedy. It was as though Bruce had become the Joker. Or worse yet, the Joker had become the Batman... which in fact he had. 
 
 
 Last week Dick had called a family meeting. It would n't be much longer that they could cover for Bruce's absence. The important people knew. Family knew. Clark, Diana, and a few of the others, but not many others. The pressing question of course was the mantle. Alfred stopped discussion with a slap on the table. Dick had never seen him that angry. Bruce's death had hit him hardest. 
 
 `` Batman is not Robin. It is no longer a mantle we will pass along like some old suit. End of discussion.'' He looked each of us in term. Even Damian held his tongue. Dick shot Barbara a glance, and was kicked under the table by Tim for his troubles. 
 
 Tim chimed in. `` Officially, Bruce had an unfortunate accident, and the Wayne family is in mourning. Unofficially, it's business as usual and we find out who did this.'' Nods around the table. Tim was always the best overall tactician. 
 
 Dick started to mention the Joker but was silenced by Tim's glare. 
 
 
 Nightwing now found himself in an odd position. He believed Alfred was secretly supporting the Joker with both gear and intel, possibly with Robin's help. He also knew that the Joker was n't actively being a criminal. But he was still the Joker, and insane. What would push him over the edge... again. 
 
 `` Hey Mr. G!'' Nightwing nearly lost his perch. He flipped from the gargoyle to the ledge below and came down in a fighting stance. Above him was a blonde.... no, it was Harley Quinn. In some bizarre variation of a Robin costume. 
 
 `` What in the hell!?!'' 
 
 Both her hands were up, submissive `` Whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm not here to fight. I just wanted to talk. I saw you sitting up here and brooding. Figured you wanted to talk. Mr. J. is brooding too. Must be the black.'' The accent was so distracting. `` You okay, Mr. G?'' 
 
 `` Why do you keep calling me that?'' Nightwing asked? Staring at the costume. It was like something bought two days before Halloween at a discount store. `` And why are you wearing that?'' Point at the costume `` Are n't you cold?'' Not that she usually wore much. But the rooftops were cold. It looked like one of his old Robin ones. Back before he wore pants with them. It was probably the same size as his old one as well. She wore it a lot better than he ever did. She had a utility belt on. A real one. He really needed to talk to Alfred. This was getting out of hand. 
 
 `` It's your name, Silly. Oh, that's right, we're in costume. Sorry, Mr. N. I'll keep it straight. But Yeah, I'm a little cold. How do you guys do this? Electric socks?'' She sat down, arranging the ridiculous skirt under her butt. 
 
 `` Harley, I do n't have time for this. Where's the Joker?'' He tried not to sound angry. 
 
 `` About that, can you do me a favor?'' she looked down, `` Can you call him'The Dark Fool' instead of the Joker if you run into him?' 
 
 `` Huh? What?'' 
 
 `` See. When Mr. Wayne died. He took it real hard. He's not doing so good. He's all broody. Not really himself.'' 
 
 `` You think?'' 
 
 She snapped `` Yes, I do think. I do this for a living. Well, I used to at least. I'm actually kind of an expert on it.'' She was angry. `` And i'm not asking you not to go after him. I'm just asking you to call him what he wants to be called, because he lost someone important to him. You know, because you know how that feels.'' She started crying. 
 
 Nightwing was caught off guard by the tears and turned for a second. When he turned back, she was gone. Damnit. Did everyone who wore that outfit learn that trick. 
 
 
 Edit: Changed some stuff around. Added some stuff
