400/Joker's Big Day

Joker's Big Day
Date of Scene:	13 May 2017
Location:	Gotham City
Synopsis:	Commissioner Joker gives his first speech to the News Media of Gotham, and it goes better then expected
Cast of Characters:	Joker, Deadshot, Batman, Black Widow (Romanoff)

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Joker has posed:
     At the central courtyard of Arkham behind the towering gates of wrought iron, the winding dirt roads, and various maximum security check points is a sight to behold. Bright colored streamers hang from the trees and neon colored banners have been strung up with various catchy and cheery slogans regarding the GCPD. The once dull dark and drab surroundings now colorful, warm and... inviting.

     For anyone who had ever even visited Arkham in the past it's a complete turnaround from the norm. Soft classical music drifts through the air from the Arkham Assylum Band. With a number of Z list villains and elderly villains long since locked away playing their hearts out on newly purchased instruments under heavy armed guard to make absolutely certain they don't try anything funny.

     At the center of the courtyard is a lone stage, strung up with equally gaudy colors, and the GCPD badge a repeating pattern across its surface. Setting in chairs are a number of Arkham inmates dressed up in full GCPD uniforms. Many of them are of course uncomfortable to even be near one of the uniforms let alone wearing them, but for the moment they seem to be calm enough..

     At the center of the stage is a single podium with a small Gotham City Flag on one corner and the embosses emblem of the GCPD on its surface.

     Inmates and civilians alike have already gathered in the courtyard with security incredibly tense of the whole thing. So many people gathered in one place... something is bound to go wrong, and yet for the moment all is calm, and almost peaceful.

     The skies are blue in all directions save for wandering clouds of smog. Birds chirp, and sing, the music carries far and wide, and to top it all off the warm, inviting spring breeze carries with it the soft smell of flowers planted by the inmates of this hellish institution.

Deadshot has posed:
    With the news announcement that was aired only a bit ago, Deadshot had come 'out of retirement' to see this. Of course, with the news reports and viral video, he had come out of retirement a few days ago. Now, laying down on top of a rock embankment the severely hidden form of a white masked person can be seen, and a single red eye. He was watching the proceedings through the scope of a sniper rifle.

Batman has posed:
A number of reporters from various news stations, papers, and affiliated agencies are on the premises, their expressions betraying a spectrum of emotions from caution to surprise to outright fear.

They murmur to one another: "This can't be real, right?"

"What's happening to Gotham?"

"Are we going to die?"

"This is what we get for letting that damn union have its way--"

"--Maybe if we paid them better--"

"--death sentence for us all."

Joker has posed:
     Suddenly the music stops. All that can be heard is the echo of footsteps broadcast over the small speaker system. Rhythmic and slow as they go. "I fought the law, and the law won" As the steps go first a bird starts chirping in perfect tune, then slowly more sounds start building, and complicating the.... song starting to play. "Breakin rocks in the.. desert sun." Before long the actual tune becomes all too clear 'I fought the Law, and the law won'

     Running out onto stage with a spring in his step and a bright smile from one ear to the other is a man in a full GCPD uniform who seemes pleased as punch to be here. As he reaches the stage a number of his own personal plants, members of his little gang, stand up and applaud the clown prince.

     Flipping over onto his gloved hands he cartwheels into a handstand before springing himself back into the air. A quick and poignant landing sticks him right behind the podium a rise up to a stand almost like a liquid rather than solid. Adjusting his tie he gives a smile so wide it would rip a normal mans face in twine, the music now in full swing.

     "Gooooooooooooodmorning people of Gotham!" Joker starts slaming his hands down onto either side of the wooden plynth. "And welcome to the start of a new age in police brutality!" A light pause for a second. "Or rather Law Enforcement." The joker speaking with a kind and friendly voice as he waves to the crowd and waves up towards the rock.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
A woman in black emerges from an alley across the street from the flamboyant press conference that is in progress. She's dressed in attire that befitting a wealthy Gothamite, a nice long black coat, black slacks, black shoes and large black fancy hat that that keeps the sun out of her face. The hat rests atop her head, but it doesn't conceal the fire-red hair nor overly shadow-out her piercing green eyes.

The woman stands across the street from the press conference and watches from afar for a moment as traffic goes by, but once clear she starts to walk across the road, her hands are in the side pockets of the long black coat she's wearing.

Batman has posed:
The assembled press mumble, their tone just as worried as their earlier comments suggest. A number of those with recording devices add, "Yes, that's right, he said police brutality," for confirmation of the Joker's comments.

Others type as rapidly and forcefully as they can to disseminate real-time written record of the event to the Inernet.

Many of these and others have faces whose color has drained from them in response to the new Commissioner. Some seem absolutely petrified.

Deadshot has posed:
    Deadshot can hear every word, and doesn't even need to listen to the speaker system. "Yeah.....brutality is the word for it. This'll be a joke." He then rolls his eyes. "Right....Joker."

Joker has posed:
     "Come now, come now, we all KNOW it happens!" Joker says still smiling as he leans one elbow hard on the podium looking over his own shoulder with that same grin. "I say it's time we embrace it, and move forward." The music still blaring out as the band shredd out on guitar.

     "Police brutality" A few bloodied brass knuckles fall out from his jacket onto the floor. "Corruption." A small pile of cash, a white baggy and various jewelry falls from the same jacket. "It's all just a happy little fact of life." A single finger taps the side of his head as he leans to the mics properly.

    Three taps, and a small projector starts rolling footage behind him of past instances of police brutality and corruption in Gotham. Admittedly most of the footage is from a LONG time prior. Yet there are a few intentionally black and white photos of the Joker himself engaging in brutality while wearing a police uniform and several of him bribing the former Gotham Mayor. "I have every intention of capitalizing on to make this city truly have something to smile about."

     He flips back around a full spin to face the crowd again hands slamming back onto either side of the plinth. "To keep with the theme I'm going to be personally offering incentives from my own personal wealth to any officer of the law who can prove they AREN'T taking bribes." He holds his arms up into the air to show his point and a number of knives, guns, and munitions just fall down from his uniform, clattering to the ground along with rubber ducks, and playing cards.

Batman has posed:
The journalists here are mostly silent, trying to capture as much video and photo evidence of the entire scene as possible.

They continue muttering to one another in hushed tones:

"...might be the most bizarre press conference I've ever..."

"...what do you think this even means for..."

"...can't possibly last more than a day or two, at best..."

One reporter, however, loudly clears her throat and calls out. "Ahem--Commissioner Joker, isn't /that/ just a different kind of bribe?"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Natasha walked the distance through the courtyard to the conference audience gathered about and she joins them there in the back. Natasha's eyes linger on the Joker for a time as the madman speaks, then she can hear the murmers in the crowd and her eyes avert to them, looking at various faces of people in the crowd before her.

Her hands remain inside the warmers of her coat, she stands there as just another face in the crowd, watching and listening to the people who rightly-so are quietly commenting words of disbelief in regards to everything they're witnessing today... though not everyone is doing such, she's sure some of these people are here in support of this crazy turn of events.

Joker has posed:
Joker hops over the podeum and lands setting hands in his lap in front of it. His feet hand off the edge as he gives a nice long look right into the reporters eyes. He's completely deadpan the smile gone.

    "When Ben Johnson did it, it was doping." He slowly comes back to a stand, clicking a picture over to an image of Captain America on the projector. "When the government does it, it's a supersoldier program." Turned away not to face the display.

     "Though you'd know all about corruption, wouldn't you.... Bamby" Said in such a low deep tone of voice that it's ominously threatening beyond words, a slow step forwards back to his podeum as his red eyes lock right on hers. "Or should we have a different kind of slide show?" A pause for a moment. "I wonder how your wife would feel about it if she knew about your own little corruption."

     He leans back over the podium for a long moment before breaking right into a smile back on his upbeat self. "We can't deny that it happens all the time, we can only fight fire" Now he's holding a match. "with a bigger fire." The match suddenly bursts into a massive flame engulfing his hand for a moment before burning itself out as the flash paper base of the matchstick catches vanishing to nothing. "Speaking of which about that slide show, I've got these excellent picks of our favorite senator giving her quite the exclusive!" A look of pure glee across his face as he bounds over towards the large canvas behind the stage.

Batman has posed:
The other journalists around the outspoken reporter take several steps away from her, although they try to keep their mics, recorders, and cell phones extended so as not to lose any of the audio from this exchange.

The woman, meanwhile, is clearly trying to keep her own expression in check, lips tight to avoid trembling. She blinks in response to the Joker and shakes her head quickly.

Several variations of "Oh, God!" resound as the Commissioner lights his hand on fire.

"I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't do this," repeats one cameraman as he sets his unit down and begins frantically pushing his way past a woman in black to try and head away from the conference.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Natasha was sent here, obviously, by her employers, to witness and observe the madness that was this conference and whatever else would seemingly follow-it. She watched the Joker confront this woman in the audience and it visibly made her show a faint lopsided frown. Her eyes glanced away for a moment at another person in the crowd that was beside her who seemed to be whole-heartedly enjoying this show though, smiling almost as big as the Joker was. She looked the man up and down, a look of restrained disdain on her youthful face before she turned to look back to the newly appointed clown.

When the cameraman passed her, Natasha simply turned her body to the side to let him pass and she clanced after him, for just a second before looking yet again back forward.

Joker has posed:
     "Now, I was looking through an old legal textbook during my recent stay in arkham and learned of a fascinating clause in the Provisional Protection act of 1813" Skipping right along back to that friendly expression. "Any officer yadda yadda yadda, protect and serve." A pair of reading glasses comes out from his shirt pocket as he starts to read a loud. Behind him on the display the law in question is displayed. "There's a lot of mumbo jumbo to dig through, and if I had more time I'd go through it all in depth but the core bit I'd like you to understand is this."

     He walks over towards one of the inmates dressed as an officer. "We'll be adopting an eye for an eye mentality. Any officer who engages in police brutality will enjoy a good old fashioned bout of Flagellation." A bit of glee in his eyes as he speaks before bounding right back up to the podium. "Alright, who has questions out there, because I've got PLENTY of answers!"

Batman has posed:
There's a lull for a long moment as the assembled members of the press look back and forth at one another in stunned awe. Then, the questions begin in a chaotic din.

"How is this possibly legal?"

"Why won't you all negotiate further with the GCPD officers' union?"

"Are we supposed to believe we'll be safe?"

"What is the department's new stance on the Batman?"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Natasha stood near the back and continued to simply watch and observe, though when the questions started to be fired off, she was eagerly anticipating hearing the answers to each every one of them. Her eyes went to the various heads of the pople shouting out questions, but since she was in the back it was mostly just a case of seeing who was suffering from thinning hair and who wasn't.

Joker has posed:
     "Oooh I love this part of the job!" Joker sets his head down on his hands like a schoolgirl gossiping in the park as the questions fire off one after another. "Well let's tackle them one at a time shall we!" He clears his own throat throwing up a single finger for each answer given. "You can thank the Vigilante Act of 2023"

     The second finger comes up, and he speaks down to the audience in a bit of a disappointed manner, the smile turned to a frown as he speaks of the other officers, a slight mocking tone at the beginning as he says. "We don't negotiate with terrorists" A light pause before continueing. "and I think we can all agree their little stand down temper-tantrum has created a LOT of terror." His smile going a bit wide.

     The third finger comes up as he slowly moves back to a stand starting to pace the stage. Walking down the line of chairs he slowly ticks his head from one side to the other letting out a low sigh his face looking saddened once again as he moves to the end of the line. "For years the people of Gotham have been forced to set idly by while watching the world crumbling around them. Masked vigilantes taking the law into their own hands, all the while creating more villains to fight and perpetuate their own existence."

     He starts walking back up the line a single hand placed on the shoulder of each obscure Batman villain in full costume waiting for their moment. "This program gives innocent young men and women a new chance!" One stands up. "A new lease on life!" The next. "You're in safer hands now then you've ever been Gotham!" He calls out with a smile soon having the entire group standing. "We're all one big happy family, and who better to solve the cities crimes then the people who help to create them!" Joker puts his arms around the other villains drawing them in close.

     "Trust me, when I'm done with Gotham, we won't even need a batman." And he looks right into one of the cameras, for Channel 17 news. A knowing expression as he just holds there for a long moment. "By the time I'm done there will be so little crime.. the only criminals left will be the vigilantes who break the law to stop it...."

Batman has posed:
There's a flurry of scribbling, typing, and texting as the Joker's statements are recorded and disseminated as needed.

"Is this 'experiment' going to be explored in other cities as well?"

"How does it feel to be part of the establishment?"

"Are you sure that everyone involved is 'innocent'?"

There's a split-second of nervous laughter before whoever started it promptly stops themselves. Lots of sidelong glances pass through the crowd.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
The joker's theatrics seemed to be playing well for the cameras, to no surprise to the SHIELD Agent, its why the audiences were always captivated by him, even if he was a murderous monster beneath it all. The entire city was likely watching on the other end of those cameras taht he was hamming it up for, which made Natasha's red painted lips purse in a restrained bit of frustration.

Her green eyes flickered over to other people as more questions were flung out at the Joker, and she knew that the torrent of questions may never end... not oa a topic like this.

Joker has posed:
     It's that moments question of innocence that causes Joker to just smile wider then ever before. The music stops, silence takes over everything and Joker simply clears his throat. "Are you ready kids?" A look right into the camera again as that feeling of dread is almost palpable in the air while what he's about to do becomes all to clear before he just starts pointing to members of the press core he'd made CERTAIN to invite.

     "Hired an assassin on his own brother to steal his job, new prostitute every night, accepted bribes in exchange for a heart wrenching story that let a mass murder walk free." Each charge leveled direct and with such glee at press member after press member. "Cheating on his wife with her sister, killed his own son after he came out of the closet, still stealing donations from Riley's Children's Hospital, kills homeless people for fun." It's rapid fire it's cold and callous and right on that main screen the slideshow starts... photographic evidence that took YEARS to collect just for this one moment to finally flower and bubble out.

     He stops at one reporter, one final reporter at the end of the row having rapid fired allegations at the entire front row. "You though, you disgust ME." He pauses for a long moment. "I don't even want to talk about what you did." Before turning back away from the row, and walking back to his podium with a bright smile. "And you call these men criminals."

Deadshot has posed:
    Deadshot actually watches the videos with Joker in his sights. He does even whistle, but his eyebrows raise rather high. "Damn. That's even more ghetto than that Waller chick."

Batman has posed:
"So...what are we to expect now?" one of the reporters finally asks in a sea of completely shocked and humiliated colleagues. "Is this how you plan to deal with non-criminals in the city?" He looks around. "I'm terrified to ask if I should start breaking the law just so that I can get a cushy police gig..."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Natasha's eyes went to the slideshow that was showing off all the supposed corruption in the city, if it all was true... then the Joker could probably make a more profitable living just operating his own independent News Agency, than whatever the hell his angle is here... She glanced over at hiu then... but that probably wouldn't be as much fun, she internally surmized.

Natasha had seen enough though, even after hearing this last question. She turned away from the crowd and started to walk back toward the Arkham front gate, her right hand going up to her face, she quietly spoke into it. "This city is a freakshow." She whispered into her hand.

Joker has posed:
     "Oh you already did a long time ago" Joker pauses looking back over those shocked and terrified faces "but if I went into all the reasons most this crowd belong in jail I'd be here all day", giving a blatant wink right to the cameras. A small handful of people actually applaud the Joker on his platform, he'll need to keep in mind to give them a bit of extra cash for their participation.

     "Trust me when I say the honest citizens of Gotham have nothing to fear, but when I say I'm cleaning up crime...." His smile widens even further as he leans very close to the microphone, a long silence sweeps the area. Finally he speaks up with one last. "I mean all of it." Before just dropping the microphone to the ground throwing up the double peace signs, and throwing his hat into the crowd walking right off stage.

Batman has posed:
Those near the hat as it flies toward them leap, dive, and scramble out of the way, afraid to come into contact with it. There are a few screams and yelps of fear.

As the commissioner walks off stage, the journalists attempt to regain their composure and begin their official on-location broadcasts about the press conference.

"UN-believable news today here in Gotham..." one of the more stalwart reporters begins, which is to say that her microphone is only shaking mildly in her hands.