5400/Entre Mr J (featuring Diana)

Entre Mr J (featuring Diana)
Date of Scene:	19 September 2018
Location:	New York City
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Joker, Wonder Woman, Star Sapphire, Kid

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Joker has posed:
It is midday and the traffic is reaching a peak around New York as many of the office workers and tourists scramble to find a place to have lunch. Immediately adjacent the Themysciran Embassy a small eatery with a an outside patio arrangement is packed ot the brim with a very familiar figure seated there enjoying what is left of a brunch and moving in to a lunch. Though he is wearing a hat and glasses anyone who really looked at this man would see it is none other than the Clown Prince of Crime. The Joker is taking advantage of the impersonal nature of the inner city given noone is eyeballing him long enough even with his paper thin disguise to make out who he is. The rest of his ensemble is of the happy touristy kind. A loud Hawaiian shirt and a nice camera. These would mark him out as an ideal target for robbery but woe betide anyone who was unlucky or foolish enough to engage in such an enterprise. The object of his interest is the Themysciran Embassy. Not a good sign. The last time he was dressed this way Joker shot and crippled a member of the Bat family.

Wonder Woman has posed:
As it so happens the location that the Joker is at is the same that the Princess and Ambassador of said Embassy is the same she is at. Probably not a coincidence consider his style of methodology. Diana, however, has been inside of the establishment visiting with friends, a lunch date so to speak. Now though, she's stepping outside and taking a moment to part with her friends in question. He'll be able to see her offer hugs and some parting words to them. She's dressed in a sleeveless white top and some black slacks and simple black shoes, a light jacket is held over her forearm and some sunglasses are tucked into the collar of her top on her neckline.

Once parted with her friends, Diana is starting to put her sunglasses on and walk through the aisle past the Joker's table, there are a lot of people around so she's not really 'noticed him' as who he is either. She knows he's there, but he's just another body in the crowd at the present moment.

Joker has posed:
A familiar and entirely unwelcome voice is heard to exclaim as Diana, "Oh look it's my very favorite member of the Justice League!" Joker levels his camera to take a snap at the precise moment Diana turns around to face him. When/if she does he wants to capture her expression - what will it be? Anger, dismay, shock, surprise or irritation? "Apart from all the other ones," Joker says qualifying his earlier statement. "And I thought my holiday in the Big Apple was going to be dull. Here I am meeting a real celebrity!" He exclaims joyfully.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana was about to put her sunglasses on when the voice came to her and it caused her to stop. She was on her way past him so his voice did require her to turn around to see its point of origin and when she does, and he snaps that picture he gets a shot of the tall woman with the dark hair tied back into a braided ponytail behind her shoulders... just staring at him, no real expression one way or another. Why was he in New York City? What on Earth could compell him to travel here? A lot of other questions suddenly jumble together inside the Princess' head.

A few seconds linger in the air between them after he says what he says, before sure slowly turns to fully face him. "I would be happy to take you to the nearest police station. I hear they are quite accomodating to tours of their various lockups and holding cells." Her voice is smokey and laced with a thick Greek accent.

Joker has posed:
"He he he!!" The Joker says after taking his snap. "I believe I have captured it in a single frame - the very essence of Diana Prince. Oh the poise - the grace under fire. The very definition of courage. A ponderous virtue courage when it is so interchangable and hard to distinguish from arrogance. I wonder which of those two things empower that marvellous poise of your's today arrogance or courage?" the Joker thinks out loud. "Oh my dear - threatening me with incarceration? I regularly return from there with even better and more artistic ideas to put into practice. Besides don't you work at an embassy? You should be above threats dear Princess. Where is the civility or indeed diplomacy?"

Wonder Woman has posed:
Fully facing him now, Diana stands there with her light jacket draped over her right forearm while her left hand holds onto her sunglasses at her side. Her tall figure has her looking down-angled in his direction where he sits. She's not amused by his words toward her and now others are looking at them, some are rising up and pondering what to do... stay or get the heck out of here.

"I am diplomatic to those who deserve diplomacy and I am something else to those who do not." She responds to him. "Which of these things do you believe you are? Wait, no... I will spare you the time to consider a response." She drops her jacket from her forearm and from beneath it is the golden rope of Hestia, coiled up but held there nonetheless. "You know there are number of differences between Batman and I." She replies to him. "One rather significant difference? I was raised to kill my enemies." Now that was definitely a threat.

Joker has posed:
"You are a terribly rude celebrity! And I was just starting to like you." The Joker says, "Look at how she treats her fans!" Joker exclaims to the crowd. "I'd suggest everyone here stay put or they may not make it out of here. I am always one to take out insurance. Of one form or another. I put a little explosive insurance package here. Or was it here? Maybe it was somewhere else? Or was it in multiple somewhere elses? The mind does tend to wander."

"But I am not as rude as you. And not afraid to die. If it proves my point. What is it that makes you think we are enemies?"

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana keeps her eyes upon the Joker until she catches sight of the nervous reaction to his exclaimation of a bomb being near by. She takes a second to let her senses reach out to try to 'hear' for it, but she picks up nothing and then she looks around. "Everyone stay seated." She tells their onlookers. "I will not escalate this if he does not." She says before she looks back to the Joker and keeps her eyes directly on his, the lasso held at her side but ready incase its needed. At this point, its probably that someone has already dialed the NYPD though, it is Manhattan afterall on a busy street side.

"Generally my enemies are those who would plant an explosive in the middle of a populated location filled with innocent lives." She then tells the wild Clown Prince.

Joker has posed:
"Well who says that I did place a bomb in the middle of a populated location? I'm only saying I might have. And you my dear where the one who escalated this to the point where I simply forgot whether I had done it in the first place. I get so terribly forgetful when I am vexed. Hmm come to think of it it is terribly gauche to just blow people up. How about a social experiment - what do you say Diana?" The Joker stands up and opens a briefcase. "I seem to recall placing an explosive somewhere else in the city very similar to this little cafe but not here." Inside the case which he shows the cafe is a very large sum of money. "Here I have two million dollars in unmarked bills. I am going to place this case near the entrance of the cafe. Anyone can leave and take the case scouts honor no surprises the money is yours. But if you take the case my surprise will be sprung. Elsewhere in the city a number of people you don't know or care about will die." Smiling up at Diana, "Oh and be a sport Wonderwoman and don't interfere. Let's test this philosophical divide between us. I as usual am always betting on the weakest link when it comes to humanity. So any of you need 2 million dollars?" the Joker sits back and waitsd for the drama to play out.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana keeps her blue eyes upon the Joker as he sets the case on display and gives his big reveal speech. What is there to say to this? All the faces around Diana and he would suggest that none of them are sure what to do. They've all heard the stipulations and end result of taking the cash. Diana doesn't look to see who... if anyone... is even considering it either. Her eyes just remain on the Joker in his gawdy tourist clothing.

"You underestimate the people, far too much. You have told them that taking the money will cause other's lives to end. There may be some out there who would not care, but now all the eyes in the world will be on this briefcase, and anyone who would take it would be instantly arrested. Even if not by me, then by them." She says, nodding down the street toward a pair of blue and white PD cars that are on their way.

She looks back to the Joker. "What is it that you want here?" She asks him then. "To show that humans are flawed? Of course they are flawed, we are all flawed--Some of us more than others certainly--but at the end of the day we all want the same things, to be happy and healthy and to live a long and good life. Your experiment here... it proves nothing that which we do not already know. Humanity is imperfect, but that does not mean we cannot strive to change to be better. To deny any urges to touch your... blood money."

Joker has posed:
"Oh no that's where you are wrong Princess the person who takes this case will get away and get their money. I'll be watching. As far as I am concerned the money will be earned so if they don't get this two million dollars I'll find the person and give them another two million. Maybe I'll double it to four. The physical money is not the point. The point is the act. And you cannot watch the persaon who takes the money forever. I follow through on my gags."

"It's not just people who are flawed my dear. Flaws are the best part of people the parts of us where the true nature of the universe bleeds through where consciousness meets reality. Selfishness, indifference all the things you condemn are the human mind adapting to reality... monstrous but real."

"So now - who will pick up this breifcase. If they arrest you and take the two million from you I will find you and give you four million! What do you say? Who has the nerve to break ranks with the sheep and join the wolves?"

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana just stares at the Joker, she stares and waits for the NYPD to arrive. She knows that they're being recorded on phones and they're likely being watched by even more people now. "So this is your plan." Diana says to him then, giving a glance to those others at the cafe around her, then back onto him. "Fine. I shall not interfere." She then takes a step to the side and sets her jacket down onto a table's top and then her lasso is held against her side while she simply stands ands waits.

"Two million dollars." Diana says, loud enough for all those around them to hear. "At the expense of the potential death of others to forever be on your conscious. Innocent lives, to be stored in the center of all of your heart." She gently frowns and shakes her head once from right to left.

"I believe the Police are waiting for you." Diana tells the Joker as indeed a whole host of NY's Finest men and women are nearing to the cafe now.

Joker has posed:
"Not two four! In fact I will make it six if they take the money off've the person who gets the briefcase! What do you say we have to have at least one taker," It appears the Joker has reached a magic number. A woman who appears to have been crying shuffles towrds the briefcase from her seat. She has the dissolute look of someone who has suffered multiple tragedies. "Oh look Diana here comes a lady looking for some paydirt. What's your name angel?" The Clown Prince of Crime asks.

"C-Cassie," the tearful woman says. She must've gone unnoticed by Wonderwoman and the rest of the patrons - but she loks like the sort of person who goes unnoticed their whole lives. The sort Joker preys upon. She slowly makes her way to the case.

Star Sapphire has posed:
After hearing about the disturbance, Star Sapphire is taking action. But with the Joker's unpredictable nature, intelligence is necessary. A small quadcopter drone flies in, observing from above. It's not a usual drone though. It appears to be a violet hard-light construct with an eight-point star logo on top and bottom. A rather large camera is mounted on it, watching the situation as Star Sapphire readies herself for battle from a distant rooftop.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana watches the woman as she appears out of the crowd of cafe occupants, here on the outdoor patio area where the traffic has been stopped and NYPD cars are piling up, their 'whoop whooing' sirens occassionally echoing off of the city's buildings.

"Might I say..." Diana speaks up, her voice seemingly directed at the woman as though she's talking right at her. But her blue gaze sweeps over to the Joker then. "That this little 'game' of yours is essentially a no win situation for everyone involved. There is no end here that will show the people to be 'good' and 'just'. Of course they want the money, why would they not. We live in a society where money can give the impression that happiness will immediately there-after follow."

She shakes her head to the Joker. "You have made your point here today. End this silly display, let these people go about their lives, let them face their own challenges without your madness adding onto it."

Joker has posed:
"I love how you talk at me when /I/ am not the important one here Diana. I am not the one making the decision I may have laid the groundwork but it is... Cassie here who has the say. And here you are ignoring her like she has probably been her whole life." The Joker continues his coaxing of the tearful woman. "You are speaking not even directly to poor Cassie but tangentally to her. Appealing to a devotion to a herd that has trampled her. Left her behind," as he says this The Joker looks not at Wonderwoman but at the broken lady about to trigger his bomb planted elsewhere. Prove his point. "You see with me you may always win the fight - but I win the argument."

Turning to Cassie, "These costumed buffoons are an extension of the society that does not want you my dear. Just for once in your life take back some power. Show them who they have left behind..."

Star Sapphire has posed:
The drone winks out, apparently unnoticed. And soon enough a woman lands right in front of Cassie from the sky. She is glowing with a violet aura as she smiles. "Hello, Cassie. I am Star Sapphire." She glances at Joker, then back to Cassie. "Is there anytihng I can do to help? This money is soaked in blood. If you take it... many will die." She squints as the gem on her tiara glows birhgtly, as do her eyes, as she looks into Cassie's heart - looking for any signs of love.

Kid has posed:
There more than one way to form a crowd...and one of them is simply by follwing the tension, panic and sheer amount of fear Kid was feeling ALL the way from the embassy. It was annoying as all hell. Did these humans have nothing better to do? Well only one way to find out was to check. Kid was soon among the crowd, in a hoodie, and jeans, hands in his pockets. He slips in past the police with a psychic cloak, before reappearing. He signs with his hands, his watch speaking "...is this the crap that been keeping me up?" he seemed tired and perhaps apathetic. But looks can be decieving.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana just shows a bold smirk to the Joker. "Come off of it." She told him and his ploy to get Cassie to look at Diana the same as she may look at others. "You told me not to interfere, so I am not interfering if that would in-turn also set off your trap." Wonder Woman, who is not in costume... she's in civilian clothing with her lasso held in her right hand in front of her still coiled-up.

"I can offer anyone who needs assistance in life a personal level of attention from me, however. All they have to do is seek me out at my Embassy."

Diana's eyes go to the arrival of Star Sapphire when she starts speaking to Cassie, she observes it but doesn't say anything to it. She doesn't notice Kid's arrival as of yet. "We live in a city filled with powerful people." She says, again to the Joker. "You are bound to have set off many alarms and more will come to make sure the case is not disturbed. Heroes, Gotham's Clown, a word you are sadly never to understand."

Joker has posed:
"Oh no - another one of the Violet Carebears come down to spread warm and fuzzy feelings as though that will make life any more bearable in a practical sense," this was Joker's response to the arrival of Star Sapphire. "Don't listen to her! She is only here because you are about to do the greatest thing that you could ever possibly do with your life! She's saying go back to the end of the line - don't push in! Accept your fate as the runt of the litter! You were never important to her before this moment! Show her you don't need her!" the Joker knows what to say to the heartbroken woman. Star Sapphire might reach out but see only desolation.

He merely glances at Kid. "What is that?" he asks noone in particular. But the 'Rilla isn't important to his plan. He might do something to foul things up though. That's why Joker loved wildcards.

"By interfere I didn't say you couldn't talk to people Diana. Yeesh you are taking all the fun out of this contest by not playing. I simply meant don't physically stop the person from taking the case. I grow tired of this... make your decision Cassie!" She's finally right there and she picks up the case - but she has yet to leave. The Joker's other stipulation.

Kid has posed:
Kid flares his nose as he gets a read out from some of the minds here. Yadda yadda two million dollars, yadda yadda bomb may or may not blow up. All this for money? He flips Joker off as he rubs the bridge of his nose in clear annoyance.

Kid puts his hands back in his pockets...and speaks to Cassie telepathicly o O ("You know your being a stupid good for nothing idiot. Sure take the brief case. If it blows up, welp that money evidence so you can't use it for a lawyer. You probably get what? Least 25 years per a dead person? Well that did yea good. Your another cog in this wheel called society just like everyone else. If you hate it, change it, do not let someone else like a dumb clown change it for you. Or if we listening to dumb stupid suggestion, do me a favor and beat him with that case. Cause eitherway your going to die alone, unhappy and unfullfilled cause you can't grow a spine") yup angst times ten. He may or may not be helping.

Star Sapphire has posed:
Star Sapphire sighs as she sends a few drone constructs out to look aroudn the city for bombs. "Cassie? I know you've had a hard life. But from whatever else you have done, do you want blood on your hands?" She sighs softly. "A desolate heart can still find ways to thrive if given a chance." She smiles faintly. "I can try to offer you a way out of this situation."

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana looks to the Joker and she just smirks at him. "This is your game, your rules." She says then before her gaze drifts to Cassie as Star Sapphire has approached her, she's unaware of what Kid says to the woman through telepathy however. Diana looks to this 'Cassie' (not her Cassie mind you). "We are here to support one another, you need but ask for it." Is all she offers for the time being.

The lead officer on the scene is standing near to everyone now and he garners Wonder Woman's attention for the moment to get a rundown of the situation, but its pretty clear the NYPD is ready to move in on the Joker to make an arrest here.

Joker has posed:
Cassie stops putting one of her hands to her head in distress as Kid gives her his telepathic tough love sermon. Joker sees this gesture and says, "They can't even leave your mind alone these agents of oppressive order. Trying to fix that which they break and remake it as something more acceptable. If you want I can help you find more amenable voices in your head to listen to." As Cassie waddles towards the exit Joker beams even wider. It appears Kid's sermon didn't work.

"Oh sure listen to the Carebear - just remember before all this she was a couldn't care less bear Cassie." The woman tearfully appears to be ignoring Star Sapphire. Joker looks apologetically at the Lantern, "Some hearts I'm afraid are quite immune to your manipulation. I think love takes practice - so many are locked out of it that their hearts atrophy from non use. But not to worry I think Cassie here has found a different path." And then she finally steps outside the cafe.

The Joker locks eyes with Diana who began this little dance with him. There are explosions all around the city. But not of the lethal kind. Just large fetti bombs spreading colored paper, mess and confusion. A few thousand dollars worth of sweeping to be done but not a single life lost. They are not even loud enough to trigger a cardiac arrest in the more vulnerable. It ends in a whimper rather than a bang. And the only real loser is poor Cassie who was seen to publically make the wrong choice. To sacrafice innocent strangers on the altar of her own despair instead of leave the briefcase be. Only nobody died. But perhaps this was Joker's intention all along. One soul ruined is like a soul saved to him. The polise rush in grabbing Joker and Cassie. "Hehehe!! Write me Diana!" he yells as he is dragged away. One more accomplice for the Joker this Cassie girl. Baby steps to making the world as he wants it.

Star Sapphire has posed:
Star Sapphire just sighs as she shakes her head. "A blackened heart is a terrible thing," she whispers softly as she glances towards Diana, who seems to already be gone. She just trudges away herself, not even bothering to fly. At least she doesn't have to take vengenace on Joker. She would have if necessary, but her drones saw the confetti go off.