7703/Truthseekers: Harley Quinn

Truthseekers: Harley Quinn
Date of Scene:	01 June 2019
Location:	Arkham Asylum - Gotham
Synopsis:	April O'Neil Truthseeker's interview of Harley Quinn and the Spoiler
Cast of Characters:	April O'Neil, Spoiler, Harley Quinn

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April O'Neil has posed:
Interrogation Room: Arkham Asylum. Truthseekers Podcast. Broadcast online in video and audio only.

April O'Neil had gotten an invitation from an inmate at Arkham Asylum to host her increasingly popular internet show within the notorious Gotham City insitute for the criminally insane.

She'd accepted the offer. But she'd also sent out a public message and invitation of her own, to anyone within the Bat-family who'd like to join her in the discussion with Harley Quinn.

When one actually accepted, April was pleasantly surprised!

Now, within one of the interrogation chambers, a table has been setup for April's equipment, her show's manager at his own operations station, April, Harley... and Batgirl all at their own table facing one another.

The lights are a pale blue hue from above, the walls are a stark white and the floor is polished pavement. Its not a comfortable room, and the sound is terrible for a podcast, but it is what it is!

April, sitting at the far left side of the table, indicates when the show goes live with a nod and a look to her two guests. "Well them..." She starts, smiling to both of them. "We've got quite an episode today. Why don't we go around the table introducing ourselves?" She nods to Stephanie first. "You're... a member of the Batman's, whats the appropriate word, team? Entourage?" She glances to Harley, but wants to make sure Harley introduces herself after Stephanie, apparently.

Spoiler has posed:
A woman is there in the Spoiler costume, the garment well made if lacking the obvious body armor of those in Batman's entourage. Though the costume hasn't changed much in content, the person inside has aged over the years since she first became a crime fighter. A lot of handmade costumes were constructed over those years. A number of rips, tears, cuts, bullet holes and explosion scorches that have had to be repaired. One cannot just keep sewing or patching such things if you want to be taken seriously by Gotham's criminal elite. Not that Spoiler has ever really been taken seriously by them.

At the motion for her to introduce hrself, Spoiler hesitates before saying, in a slightly altered voice to not sound too much like her own, "Yes. I am known as the Spoiler. It is fair to say that I have worked on occasion with Batman, at the least."

The hooded face looks over towards Harley as if studying the well-known criminal. The two have never gone up against each other directly. Spoiler might find herself wondering if Harley even knows who she is.

Harley Quinn has posed:
At the table, Harley Quinn has been chanined to the table, her ankles to the chair, the chair bolted to the ground. She's at least got access to her torso and she's tilting her head, putting her cheek on the side of the table and looking up at the chains that have her bound. Every movement she makes causes some metal on metal noises that might be picked up by the podcast microphone.

And then she giggles a bit, starting to move her wrists in such a way that the theme to Star Wars is being played. And then jingle bells and she cackles out laughing as Stephanie is introducing herself. And then it gets over to her, and Harley sits upright, and then has to bring her head down so she can pat at her hair to make it 'nice' even though it's in the same pigtails its always in. Moving her face closer to the microphone, Harley mentions, "I enjoy long walks on the beach, especially when people are drownin' or there's shark attacks. Keeps everythin' spicy an' fun is all. Ummm, I been in Arkham now, maybe thirty or forty times... " A pause as she squints, "This year. I mean, it's real nice this place, they have a jumpsuit fer me and everythin'. It's very flatterin' though I don't much like the orange or the black and white stripes, dependin' on which one they put me in. They aren't my colors, even though the cut is pretty good. What's a girl gotta do ta get some reds or black? Bleed or burn 'erself probbably. I don't think that's askin' too much." Another pause as she ummmmsm, and then grins big, "Oh right, an' I'm Harley Quinn. Oh, darnit, did I say tha' already? I get nervous around public speakin'." And then she stumbles a moment in words before adding, "Oh, and fer the record, I too have also worked, on occassion, with the Bats." A big smile as she asks in a whisper to April, "Am I doin' alright?"

April O'Neil has posed:
When the young Spoiler had said she'd make it to the interview, April had looked her up online and found references to her, not that much but enough to verify she was the real deal. But, seeing her in person was a bit of a... eye opener? Not in a bad way, per-se but more in a 'Gotham must be really hard on its crime fighters' kinda way.

From Spoiler, to Harley, April listens to them both and show shows a slight grin at Harley's last question to her, which gets a nod back at her. "You're doing great, and I loved the Star Wars chimes there." Apparently she'd picked up on that from the chain sounds that Quinn had been making.

April (not chained down) then leans forward onto her elbows on the table's edge, her yellow leather jacket is draped over the back of her chair and she's wearing a black long-sleeved tshirt, her red hair is tied back into a loose ponytail draped down behind her shoulders and she has some black framed glasses on over her blue eyes.

"Would red and black uniforms help keep you from bustin' outta this place, Harley?" The girl from Brooklyn asks the notorious criminal across from her, she then gives Stephanie a glance. "And have you ever had any interactions with Miss Quinn up to this point?"

Spoiler has posed:
Spoiler stirs in her seat at the flippant way that Harley speaks of how people in states of suffering would make her walk on the beach better. The full mask covering her face shows no expression, but the tilt of her head as she listens suggests the focus that is being given to Quinn.

Spoiler's head swings to April O'neil at the question poised to her. "We have not directly encountered each other before, no," Spoiler says. "Though I tried to reach Harley's race of buses packed with bombs. Though the race was stopped and bombs defused before I arrived."

Spoiler turns back to look towards Harley. "That incident is one reason I agreed to come today. I wanted to hear what went on in someone's head that they would devise something that could hurt so many people," the costumed minor Gotham vigilante says as she gazes over at one of Gotham's more notorious villains.

Harley Quinn has posed:
A little bit of a nod, and a grin comes from Harley as she gets affirmation she's doing well. So, the woman of crime sits up a bit more and she looks over to Spoiler, "Ya hear that? At least someone appreciates me." And then back to looking at April she offers, "Oh, it'd definitely make me think twice about breakin' out. But the thing ya gotta understand about Gotham. Without people like me, we wouldn't have no one comin' to visit. Tourism would die, the city would crumble under a lack of economic self-sustainability an' then more people would be dyin' starvin' in the streets. I'm really kind of a hero, not ta toot my own horn or nothin'."

A pause before Harley comes back a moment, "Cause people come ta see the Bats, or get a peek at one of the 'crazies'. We're like a human zoo we are. I'm jus' doing my part as a compassionate citizen ta make sure that the poor lil' orphans of Gotham have food in their little bellies. While the rich elite do nothin' fer nobody." She hits her fist on the table.

"So, no Miss April, not even if they placated my fashion sense by lettin' me wear makeup or my own clothes... ya know they forceably dress me 'ere. Everytime I show up, and I know that George fella at the front desk likes to see the strip search happen. Everytime! George, one of these days, I'm gonna slit yer throat. Not fer peepin' but fer that cinnamon challenge thing he made me do."

She looks around the room, "Its probably on Youtube or somethin' now, or maybe they just laugh about the face I had behind my back. An' that's not really honorin' a woman's right to choose. Ain't like Gotham cares though, ya ain't see no Bats in 'ere with chains on, biggest criminal of them all. Beats up women too. I know, from personal experience..."

Turning in the direction of Spoiler, Harley kind of stares at her, shaking her head slowly back and forth in a disappointed way, "Shame on you lil' girl. Shame on you. Fer bein' in that woman haters corner. What have ya ta say about that? Huh? Ya think a tiny voluptous woman like myself ought ta be cracked in the head by some bat shaped mallet, or tied up makin' all that blood rush ta my head. That can cause serious brain damage, fer the record." Tilting her head she speaks to April, "I know, I'm a doctor."

And then she finally gets around to the bus incident, "As ya said, could have hurt someone? It didn't. An' in fact, I bet it got some of them some much needed vacation time from work. This country, no universal medical care fer people stressed out, an' them passengers had tons of life stress, couldn't even take a joke."

April O'Neil has posed:
The comments from Staphanie make April look over to the one known as Spoiler. "I read about that bus incident." April says softly, but elects to let the conversation carry itself to Harley, as Steph has ultimately presented it to her for rebuttal.

So its then that April's gaze falls again upon Quinn, as the Queen of Crime in Gotham starts on her tirade, which comes off as a lot of pint up desire to talk--which is great for this show's benefit!

"Harley--" April pauses. "I hope its okay if I call you by your first name. You're welcome to continue to do the same for me." She glances to Spoiler, knowing thats not likely something a masked crusader will want to jump onboard with though. "You have a charm about you. Thats undeniable--and when I say charm, I detach it entirely from your willingness to end the life of random innocent people all in the name of benefiting tourism in Gotham City--and instead just attach it to your general positivity toward... what is it you do, irregardless of morality. I've found that positivity around people is oddly infectious and all too rare in our world. I'm wondering if this was part of your approach in your days as... Doctor Harleen Quinzel, prior to your turn to Harley Quinn. Were you a positive presence back then as well? Or did this only manifest after you decided to, change into the tourism concerned citizen that you are today?"

Spoiler has posed:
Spoiler's chair is set a little further back from the table that Harley Quinn is chained to, almost like an observer rather than a participant in the interview. She leans forward, a hand resting on the table as she listens to Quinn. One can tell from her body language that she's reacting to the light-hearted way that Harley Quinn speaks of hurting others and spins them off as positives.

The vigilante might have been about to say something, but as April starts in a more tactful approach, Spoiler slowly sits back in her seat as if waiting to see how this direction in the conversation goes. Her arms cross, but there is still a slight sense of tension from the little-known Gotham hero as she just listens for the moment.

Harley Quinn has posed:
The response from April gets Harley Quinn smiling a large smile as she brings her fingers together and is about to bring them up with a genuine, Awww type posture, when the little loops they are through stop her from quite reaching her face. And she grumbles a bit down at the locks, but then looks up again, smiling, "Awww, well thank you Miss April. I do appreciate the question, an' the openness ta seeing things in another light than the way in which they're always presented by other media outlets. They couldn't even get the details right on that bus incident. I was the one who thought of it, an' made it happen. I ain't never get no credit though. I mean, I was inspired by Mistah J an' all, an' I'm sure he'd of come up with it all the same given some time, but he's always thinkin' big picture. I get ta deal wit' all the details."

And then she thinks for a moment, it's clear because she tilts her head a bit to the side and looks up at the ceiling. For a long pause of speaking before she offers, "Well, I ain't too sure. I'd say, I've always wanted ta help people. Sometimes that looks different fer every body. For example, yer show here. It's out ta show somethin', get people ta learn a thing or two about the world. I'd even guess yer doin' it fer the same kind of reasons, helpin' out in the only ways ya can. But I bet ya gotta remind folks about bad times sometimes, interview a rape victim, or someone who's lost a loved one. Maybe ya talk wit' some racist fella from the KKK an' have ta try and remain fair to deliver the message - we all got our own skills."

Another thoughtful pause but she sits up more, "I'm still Doctor Harleen Quinzel, but nobody seeks me out no more fer head shrinkin'. Jus' the other day I was tryin' ta help out Catwoman wit' some relationship issues, an' she declined the offer. It kind of hurts a lil' inside, ya know? Unable ta do the thing ya loved, an' why? No reason. So, I do what I can wit' the skills I got. Without folks like me, this lil' cape ain't ever figure out her callin' in life, that Bats fella ain't be around, that flash feller. Ain't no hero needed if ya jus' got normal crooks. Why not do what ya love, wit' whom ya love? Ain't that the American dream?"

April O'Neil has posed:
April's eyes sweep over to Spoiler to watch her second guest get a little settled in for Harley's response. She then glides her gaze back to Harley and listens to the full of that response before a hint of a grin touches the edges of her pink hued lips. "Thats an interpretation of the American Dream, I would say is quite true. Minus some of the finer points of how we might differ in our execution of it. No pun intended." April can't help herself with bad jokes, its just hardwired into her. She glances down to her notes on a tablet computer in front of her and then back up to Spoiler, then over to Harley again.

"I was doing research on you, prior to coming here, as it turns out you might need to advertise your continued Doctoring services better, because I found a number of fan sites devoted to you. There's a large subset culture of people who're... seemingly obsessed with you, in Gotham City and beyond."

Its then that April regards Spoiler again. "How do you feel about that... Spoiler?" She asks. "You and your colleagues are putting yourselves at risk to stop the actions and activities of she and hers, only to have the free citizens you're trying to defend, partially fall for her charm and positivity. Even going so far as to create websites and petitions dedicated to..." April glances down to her tablet, lifts it up and holds it between both her hands for both women to see, on it is one website "FreeHarleyQuinn dot com."

The tablet is held there for a few seconds, then turned and place back on the table facing April once more. "This can't be easy for the Bat-crew to deal with--" To Harley then. "Knowing that she does have people who would likely smack themselves in the head, or worse, just to get a chance to have her offer relationship advice to them."

Spoiler has posed:
Spoiler's blue mask moves enough around the eyes to suggest brows being drawn together at some of the question from April. Her head swings back towards Harley and there is a shift in her body as if she is about to say something before she pauses again. The mask hides just how much effort it is taking to hold back Stephanie's failing of immediately blurting out her thoughts.

"I hear someone complain about being tied up. But who ties others and straps bombs to them. Help by interviewing those who lost a loved one? You /kill/ other people and put their loved ones through that grief, Harley," Spoiler's voice comes, speaking sharply. "People come to you for help? Why would they? What would a doctor say of what has become of your lack of empathy?" Spoiler asks.

Her head turns back to April, the white covering of her eyes showing as the tension felt by Spoiler slips, but only a little. "It is disappointing. That's an understatement. The harm that people like Harley try to do to the world is obvious. So why become a fan? Is the world so lacking in other entertainment? If these fans were ever victims of what she tries to inflict, I doubt they would remain fans for long."

Harley Quinn has posed:
Laughing a bit, at the joke, Harley Quinn can't help but repeat some of it, "Execution. Ya slay me." And then she bursts out laughing again, kicking out her feet under the table, the biggest sign of that is her ankles catching and making metal straining sounds before she sighs out and smiles. "Yer a real swell lady Miss April. I gotta say. If ya ever are in a situation an' ya can't get out, just call yer pal Harls here, an' I'll get ya out. An' I ain't never lied ta nobody."

With the tablet being presented, Harley is taken aback, "Really? There's an entire fan group about me?" Harley pauses and then sits upright a bit more, and puckers her lips like she had chapstick or lipstick on, and then smiles a bit more. "Ta all them ladies and fellas out there, find the one ya love. No matter what others say, it's up to you an' yer heart. It don't matter if that one true love is a man, or a woman, even a tentacle monster. I almost was seduced by one in New York not too long ago, so I know how yer heart yerns. Seek them out, don't ever take no fer an answer. An' sometimes, they ain't gonna say nice things ta ya, but that's just the job gettin'em down."

She's speaking while Stephanie is speaking, but her eye begins to twitch as she takes in a deep breath looking at Spoiler, and her face kind of nits up. Eyes scrunch together, brows arch a bit more, and her lips comes together in an angry, almost cute childish pouty way. "Mayyyyyyyybe, miss know-it-all ain't got no funny bone in 'er entire body? Hmm? Look at you. Yer wearin' a mask, all ya capes are the same. Ya talk about honesty an bein' good, and integrity but ya ain't got none of it. Have I killed some people? It ain't no secret, I ain't lyin' about it tho'. I ain't hidin' nothin'. Maybe people like the breath of fresh air that HONESTY brings, hmmm?" She sticks out her tongue at Spoiler, and then adds, her voice having picked up in volume as she went, "Ya ever try an' find exact change?! Huh?! That's a crime, ain't nobody stoppin' THAT! I got me a medical condition, somethin' is wrong up there, but at least I'm tryin' ta be my authentic self. Ya ain't got no right! No right!!!!"

Straining on the chains a bit to point an accusatory finger at Spoiler. Harley's definitely uncontained, and some of the security guards who are just outside the room look in to see if April needs them to come inside. So far, Harley remains restrained.

April O'Neil has posed:
April's show manager is in the room too, a tall man, in his mid 30s, Vernon Fenwick. He's been keeping silent, been with April the past couple years that she's been a reporter and started out as her camera man at Channel Six. He's hitched his wagon to her career now though and been a loyal friend along the way... he looks a little more nervous the more Harley gets agitated and he looks to the guards as they look inside...

April though? She remains calm, cool and unaffected by it. She does softly raise a hand though to try to get Harley's attention and to calm her a bit. "Lets keep our collars cool here." She softly tells everyone. "One of the benefits of you two having no past history together, as I saw it, was that you both could interact on a fresher level. We're just here to talk, right? Long form discussions are the way of the future... giving us all time to interact, discuss our differences and understand each other better. Its how we all improve."

With that said, April shows Harley a small grin. "I appreciate the offer to come to my assistance too, Harley. More times than I care to count out-loud, I get myself into hairy situations. No tentacle monsters yet though." She glances down to her tablet computer and then back up a second or so later.

April looks to Spoiler then. "Thats how these things work though, you know? The more public exposure you get, the more fans you get... regardless of what it is you do. You've likely got someone crafting you a fanpage of your own now, Spoiler. And they'll likely be having message wars with one another, yours and hers, on reddit and so forth going forward now." April grins lightly then.

She looks back to Harley. "You mentioned 'Mister J' in your bus incident. Who is the infamous 'Clown Prince' known primarily as the Joker..." April says to Harley then. "Where is he at right now? He's still free while you're left in here with people like that George fella you mentioned... thats gotta kinda be a rub, isn't it?"

April glances to Spoiler then. "Have you had any encounters with the Joker?" She asks the masked one.

Spoiler has posed:
The unblinking stare of Spoiler's mask looks back at Harley as agitation begins to be shown towards the purple-and-blue vigilante. It is a moment that could escalate, but rather than Spoiler's voice raising in intensity to match, it instead gets softer. "I have a lot of respect for doctors. For trying to help people, Harley. For what you were. I think you're someone I'd have liked as a friend." Her voice softens more. "Is it really me that you are upset at? You dedicated your life to helping others. I can tell that spark is still there. I can't imagine it's easy to have that desire to help, having to coexist with killing and harming."

Spoiler leans back in her chair then, trying to further disengage and give Harley time to let the emotions settle, perhaps. She looks to April. "I live on my phone just like everyone else. But this is life and death stuff. There shouldn't be debate. But you're probably right, that is probably what will happen. I'd rather see people go out and help someone and make a difference, than troll on the internet though."

Spoiler's only response to the question about the Joker is a mild shake of her head, and a glance back to Harley.

Harley Quinn has posed:
There's a bit of breathing, and eyes wide, and crazy like. Really, actually wide opened and crazy like just like the books describe but few people get to see. When the hand comes up and April still talks, and says the thing about appreciating her offer, Harley kind of sits back, shoulders a little in, a bit demure comparatively. "It ain't bother. I'm always in hairy situations. Ain't like I can hide my face or nothin'. On posters, media, everywhere I go. Ain't got no chance ta be jus' me no more. It ain't like I don't like bein' Harley Quinn none. I chose my name, ain't get a chance like that in a million years as jus' some dead beat's kid."

And she hears Mister J and she smiles softly, and it touches her eyes, "Mistah J. He's the greatest. The funniest man I ever met, genuine, true. Handsome, great sense of fashion... he's got it all. Even his luxurious green hair." She practically swoons while sitting there in her chair. "Oh, he knows I like the puddin' here, I get the green flavored one, pistachio, reminds me of him. I don't wanna be no bother, so I'm glad he ain't comin' in here ta get me out. I've always had a thing fer artists, and my Puddin' ain't no different, off probably thinking about things, makin' plans. He's always thinkin' big. I support him best I can, but I'm just one person. After I get outta here, we'll have things to talk about, me an' my time in 'ere and him and his plans. One plus one equals three with us."

Talking about Joker pretty much derails her from any other thought. Though she is smiling now, it's that gushy happy smile of a teenager in love. Even though she's not a teenager. And she looks over to Spoiler a moment to add, "I ain't upset at you, I don't even know who you are. That's why the Joker, he's different. He ain't never hide nothin' from me. Not his smile, not his anger, not his happiness. Not his jokes, nothin'. Love like ours doesn't happen even once in a lifetime, maybe not even in a million lifetimes. Do I want that house, like all the old tv shows got? With the picket fence, an'..." She sniffles a little bit, "Maybe a little girl of my own, someone ta raise up. Show her she ain't gotta be like me? Be better'n what I got? Maybe have two dogs an' some cat off in the corner angrily starin' at us all, an' we make jokes about how it would rather eat us than be part of the family? What girl don't? Ain't in the cards."

April O'Neil has posed:
April's hands slide palm-flat against the table to either sides of the tablet computer resting on its back in front of her, her glasses-covered eyes go from one woman to the other while she takes in what both say. Harley's words, her charm filled words, do work on April as she'd said that positivity was infectious and her quirkiness had its allure--but thats not to say that April doesn't for a second think that Harley wouldn't dump her in a vat of acid if it somehow fit a scheme, either by her design or her beloved pistachio haired prince's.

"I for one, wish that you could have that kind of life, Harley." April comments. "Grumpy cat and all. I wish everyone could have that picture-esque life that we're all trained to believe is the true goal to reach in life, that true American Dream, as you said... But." April inhales, and exhales. "Sometimes its just not in the cards for folks, which I think leads to a lot of disgruntled people out there. That, however, is likely a conversation for others to talk about rather than the three of us." A light smile is shown then before April's gaze sweeps back to Stephanie.

"Spoiler." She starts. "Forgive me for not knowing as much about you as I wish I did, but one question I'd specifically like to ask you is..." She motions to Harley. "Your... leader? The Batman... and the rest who work with him... You've all been at this for awhile now. Do you think that Gotham is getting better? Does the Batman feel that his work, and now your work in his design... is actually helping Gotham grow toward a brighter tomorrow? Or are things, not going as well as one might hope? Are the Bat-stamped sandbags actually stopping the flood, or are the murky waters of Gotham's troubled denizens overflowing past them?"

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie Brown is glad of the mask which, apart from around her eyes, hides most of the young woman's usually expressive face. The ability to hide her reactions helps keep them from derailing the interview. And not casting Batman in a bad light by association was so foremost in her mind when she accepted this interview, and without prior approval. Spoiler lets up the pressure on the small push pin she's kept jammed into her leg to varying degrees for much of the interview as a reminder to muzzle that inner voice of hers.

So the question that touches on Batman more directly gives Spoiler more pause before she finally answers. "I think anyone would hope they'd gone better," she says. "We'd hope there was no need for Batman," she says. Or for Spoiler, but Stephanie refrains from injecting herself into that thought with the Dark Knight. "How do you want to measure better, April? Is it better than Gotham's citizens are alive? Instead of dead from a bomb? Or a gas that makes them riot and kill? Or from food that leaves them corpses with grotesque expressions?"

Spoiler gives a shake of her head. "No one is happy about the violence that happens."

She pauses, and the hood swings just slightly towards Harley, though not enough to actually face her. "Almost no one," she amends. "But are we better off for having Batman? Can we possibly say otherwise? Would this city even still exist as a community? If the things he has stopped, had been allowed to happen, I don't really know. He made a choice. He makes a difference. I'm grateful for that choice. I'd be one of those corpses by now but for him. Many of us would."

Harley Quinn has posed:
"That, that's a very good question. You must be a reporter or somethin'" Harley winks at April, but then turns her attention to the masked heroine and waits for the answer. Even putting her elbows on the table and her chin resting on her hands that have interlocked fingers.

Harley is actually about to speak up when Spoiler says no one is happy about the violence, then she clamps her mouth shut as Spoiler corrects herself. She listens, it's her turn to listen, but she's got this smile on her face, her eyes glinting the light off of them and she just looks like some attractive blonde woman who is genuinely content. Maybe even a bit happy, to be exactly where she is... even though she's cuffed, in an orange jumpsuit. "I got some words on this topic too."

As she turns to April, "If ya don't mind me sayin'." Though she doesn't wait for a response, "I think things have gotten worse. To be honest. From my side of things. Corrupt politicians? Check. Starvin' children? Check. Run away buses with people strapped to bombs? Check. If ya think about it, really, many of us would get terribly bored in a city without no Bats. It ain't like the coppers are a real difficulty. Bribe some, kill some, scare the rest till they don't bother you no more. They can't even shoot fer poopsicles. No where else does a woman wit' a mallet even have a fightin' chance ta cause a ruckus. Ya think the Avengers would allow that in New York? Or that Superman..."

Harley takes a moment to fan herself with her hand, "That fella. He can wear tights and not at all be embarassed, if ya know what I mean. But I ain't stand a chance against a guy like that. So, the Bats he's the right level of challenge, ta develop my enterprisin' criminal skills, an' ability to defeat wit' my ... I ain't sure it's an ability, but my mallet expertise. Gotham wasn't like this before the Bats, jus' had standard big city problems, but nothin' the GCPD couldn't handle. Now though? I'd be tellin' ya, Miss April, watch yerself as ya walk around in the daylight even."

April O'Neil has posed:
Admittedly April does like the two of them to interact, because they're more important in this discussion than she is, for the viewership and for the topics being discussed, April doesn't even live in Gotham City... She stays quiet as they both weigh in on the subject and her eyes dart from one to the other, though its easier to stare at Harley--not because of looks mind you--but because of lack of mask, one can pick up more from Harley's mannerisms and facial expressions than one can from Spoiler who's hiding all of that.

Once both women speak, April crosses her forearms together at the base of her tablet computer and she speaks out again. "There are reasonably valid arguments that the Batman's exploits have inspired the actions of others to cause the conflicts in Gotham to grow ever more... theatric and ever more... dangerous. People either trying to emulate him, or trying to create newer and wilder identities to try to 'blend in' with the likes of the Joker or..." April's right hand comes up and she motions to Harley. "Miss Quinzel. Some describe it as trying to approach justice without the Batman, and solely with the use of the Gotham Police Department is as painting a wall with a roller-brush and a tray of fresh paint... Versus with the Batman--and his varied associates--being essentially throwing paint against the wall right out of a bucket. Both methods apply justice, one might take longer, but is arguably a lot less... messy."

April settles back in her chair a little then and puts her hands down into her lap. "Is Gotham safer? Who's to say. Is it currently kinda messy? I'd say there's a lot of evidence to suggest it is."

Between both of them, she looks again. "If either of you could decide how to stop all of this, and how to return to a place where the sole goal was to get all of those picket-fenced homes and grumpy cats... what would it be? To keep going as we are now, or to find a new way?"

Spoiler has posed:
That push pin out of sight of the cameras goes into overtime. The grimace that results is hidden behind the mask as Stephanie bites down on her lip to help avoid blurting out her first thoughts. She lets up on the pin only when she finally is ready to speak.

When she does, she still cannot keep some hardness from her tone. "History is littered with times where good men stood by and let evil be done. Was that right, or wrong? Batman could have stood by. But he didn't. He chose to protect his fellow man," Spoiler says with a measured pace that is exacting a toll on the impulsive young woman.

Spoiler continues, "If this city, or nation, gives rise to people willing to commit atrocities in grand fashion? How do we blame the person who puts his life on the line to stop them?" The hard edge to her voice is enough to tell just how deeply the question seemed to cut at the vigilante.

Harley Quinn has posed:
"I know exactly what I'd do. Take all the rich uppity ups, stick'em in a room an' fill it wit' the Joker special. Wait fer 'em all ta kill one another, collect their wealth an' kick it outta Gotham." Harley Quinn mentions, and then she adds onto that, "Wit'out the wealth, ya ain't got no one robbin' banks. Ya ain't got powerful people bein' targets. Nothin'. Then, sure, there's gonna be some growin' pains as a new king of Gotham rises up. And a new law and order works itself out, but when it does, it'll be whoever is the strongest, smartest, an' followed by the rest of the people - that's democracy at its finest. And it's how ya get ta an amicable city-state."

Harley Quinn looks between those at the table, "We can grow our own food, work ourselves up the chain. Then it'll be a merit based system. Those who can, do, an' those who can't, well they die. It's not a very fluffy nice existence, but it gets us back ta a place of equilibrium. Right now yer all tryin' ta plug holes in a dam that's burstin' at the seams. And worse of all, ya ain't even realize it yet. Ya know how many times the Bats has stopped me from killin' some gangsters?"

"Lots. I ain't maybe had good reason ta do it, but they're criminals, makin' this city worse. An' he's stoppin' me from cleanin' it up. Ain't matter the reason, that's a final solution to a pretty big problem if ya ask me. An' he don't."

April O'Neil has posed:
Both of these very different opinions hold April's attention to its fullest, she looks from one character-enriched woman to the other and then just softly exhales. "Its a lot to take in, isn't it?" She softly speaks to them. "You both have radically different ideas on how things should go. Be it..." She motions to Spoiler. "That things are better now because of the Batman and his friends, stepping up to help where others may have been too afraid or unable to do so..." Her hand then gestures toward Harley. "Or... pure Darwinism, with chaos and murder to let decide how to balance the city back to a peaceful state."

Gently the redheaded April shakes her head and glances down to her tablet pc before she reaches up to shove some of her locks of autumnal hair back behind her ears. When she looks up once again her hands come together just in front of her chin and she speaks overtop of her fingers that interlace together under said chin.

"Harley." April says to the expressionate blonde across from her. "Whats next for you when you get out of here? If... you get out of here." April's voice lowers to a lighter tone. "I do think they plan to keep you here awhile. I'm not sure they want you to El-Chapo your way out of here... again." She says with a slight smirk to the woman before she looks over to the masked Spoiler.

"And you." She says to Stephanie. "Are you an up and coming presence in Gotham? Should we expect big things from you in the future, in the name of justice... and... as cleanly applied paint to walls as possible?"

Spoiler has posed:
The purple hood and blue mask looks from Harley, back over to April. Her lack of charismatic people skills compared to Harley has been telling even to Stephanie, and that realization seems to color her response. "I just try to help where I can. This isn't a game. It isn't about number of Likes, having fan websites, or how much press you get. I only agreed to do this interview today because someone needs to speak out."

There is a pause, then, "Maybe I was a poor choice for it. Probably. I just want to help stop people from being ripped off, hurt, or killed. I don't expect that to change in the future," she says. "I don't understand how people can hear callous disregard for life, and be a fan of it," Spoiler says, motioning towards April's tablet that showed the fan website earlier.

If there was more Spoiler had to say, she cuts it off after that.

Harley Quinn has posed:
Thinking about that, Harley looks up at the ceiling again for a moment before she looks back to April. "Well, now that I know there's fan clubs fer me. Maybe I'll travel the country rallyin' folks ta my cause. I ain't never been a ... leader before." She quirks her mouth to the side, "Though that might mean I ain't get to see Mistah J all that much. Probably jus' stay 'ere in Gotham than and do what I can fer civil justice an' all that."

Though she smiles bigger, "I wouldn't mind meetin' up fer coffee none. Probably wanna get some pictures of me when I'm all dolled up and ready fer action." A few nods of her own head to indicate the response she expects. With Stephanie talking, Harley turns and shakes her head, "Oh, no, yer a perfect choice. We got three women from Gotham, takin' on different sides of the issue, an' givin' pepole a choice. Us girls gotta stick together. I could give ya some fashion tips, an' ya could bring me a fresh pair of underwear. These fellas are the worst at doin' laundry."

A shake of her head at that, Harley just stays smiling big.

April O'Neil has posed:
"Thats the thing right there, isn't it?" April replies initially to Spoiler, though her eyes do glance to Harley where she does give the woman a slight nod of her head and a little smirk at her continued humor.

But back to Spoilers. "The society we live in is turning real world politics and issues into a game. With Likes. With Views. With those little dopamine hits to our moods each day. Little tiny bursts of ego-inflating moments that create an addiction toward... being..." She motions toward Harley. "Validated for our beliefs that are bucking traditions and trends." She motions back to herself then, her right hand pressed near to her collar bone. "I don't believe in murdering people to solve the world's ills, let alone Gotham's, I don't believe death and destruction to be a game... but, I'm just me. As you saying, doing my part to try to offer discussions that I hope can help grant perspectives and through that, maybe a pathway to solutions. Who knows though..."

April then glances back to Harley and she ofters a faint smile to the notoriously unbalanced woman. "We'll see about getting you some clean clothes in here. This whole place..." She glances around the room. "Honestly gives me a bit of the chills just walking through it... can't say I'm a fan, I honestly would want to break outta here too."

She glances back then to Spoiler and Harley. "Not that I'll ever be in here for long, I should hope." She grins nice and big then. "I don't think I have much time left today for this segment though. It was hard enough to get the warden to agree to this much... Is there anything else either of you would like to say? To Gotham, and to everyone else who looks at Gotham from abraod and is either fascinated by it, or displeased by it?"

Spoiler has posed:
Spoiler is quiet for a moment before repeating some of April's words. "I don't believe in murdering people to solve world problems, or Gotham's, or death and destruction to be a game. But I'm just me." She pauses again and shakes her head. "What does it say about us, that this has to even be said? That others can't take it for granted anymore? We villainize the ones who would help us. Deify the ones that would harm us. But it's ok, as long as they do it with enough charisma that people will be entertained for a little bit."

Spoiler gives a shrug of her shoulders. "But that's ok. Let's put the blame on the Bat because we didn't find enough entertainment value in criminal matters before he came along."

Harley Quinn has posed:
"I just want to say one last thing fer all the folks out there who are wonderin'."

There's an intake of air and a slow sigh out, Harley comments, "Remember ta take yer vitamins, but I hear they're all cardboard and rat feces anyhow, but it's important. Like votin'. Sure it's fixed, an' a waste of money and time, but it's an important thing ta do - expressin' yer citizenry. I ain't get no vote no more cause of the things I've done. So, go out there an' vote."

Another pause as Harley hmmms and then adds, "Speakin' of votin'. I vote fer a better, more open Gotham. I think that if the heroes of our lil' neck of the woods want ta be taken seriously they're gonna have to own up to their actions. Take off the mask, live a life of honesty, be genuine in everythin' that you do. Maybe work with the GCPD instead of against 'em. Gather up food an' deliver it to the poor folks. Be the hero that lil' Timmy needs, instead of the one who beats up on attractive, apparently rather popular, women doctors."

Harley turns to look at Spoiler, smiling, a bit toothily, as her eyes squint just a hair, but her tone doesn't change much, "If we can agree ta all of that, I think Gotham ain't got noooooothin' ta worry about."