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"It's alright Cal I'm not going anywhere." Joker flinched a little. "You forget I've been beaten by Bruce one to many times this is nothing. Just calm down I'm not going to hurt you."
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Cal shook his head. "I'm not worried about that. You can't hurt me. No one can. But I can hurt you." He said tearfully. "I don't know how to control it."
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"You can figure it out your a smart boy." Joker smiled. "Now tell me what this is exactly."
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"I don't know." Cal said. "It started a couple months ago. I went to pet Lucifer and..." He shook his head. "It keeps happening, but I never know when it will. I didn't mean to hit April...I felt it coming and tried to push her away, but the power hit her anyway. And after that...it was like I wasn't in control of myself. It wasn't me talking, and it wasn't me that cut mom..."
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"Well neither your mother or I are super abled. Ivy certainly didn't do it she's more of a kill you and get it over with type." Joker mused then made a face. "There's only one person who has the kind of money and technology to even come close to being able to help figure this out." He pouted then sighed. "The things I do for my kids."
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Cal sighed, hugging his knees. "There's something else. I remembered a nightmare I had when I was little...it scared me so much that I stopped sleeping. There was an older man. He said I had untapped potential, and that he wanted to awaken it. He said He'd show me what it's like to have real power. Then, just a few months ago, I had the dream again. The man said "it's time to unlock your true self." Then my whole body went cold, and then hot, like I was on fire. When I woke up, I hurt all over. That's the day this first started happening. I asked...in the dream, I asked the man "what are you?" and I couldn't hear very well but I think he said he was a ghoul."
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"Ghosts aren't real." Joker said with a snort. "You must have been abducted by a scientist and neither your mother or I noticed. Unlikely as that is it works better than your ghost theory."
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Cal frowned. "Not a ghost, a ghoul. I heard him say "I am -oz-a-ghoul." He said. For some reason, this seemed important.
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"What?" Joker trialed of. "Cal are you sure he didn't say Ra's al Ghul?"
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Cal shrugged. "That sounds about right. Like I said, I couldn't fully hear him. Why, is that someone important?" He asked.
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"I'm going to kill him." Joker growled. "This is probably him paying me back for the whole Jason thing but he knew who be was dealing with." He looked at Cal. "You know the story of Jason Todd and who Damien's mother is right?''
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Cal frowned. "I know a little. Martha told us that Damian's mother was someone else, and we've heard people mentioning the name Jason before...but everyone always gets really quiet after that. Mom told me once that she considered naming me Todd. I don't really know any details." He said.
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Joker told the story. "That's why we named you Cal...better for my health really."
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Cal was quiet for a moment. He looked upset. Finally, he spoke. "That's awful. But...why would that guy come after me? Why not April or Martha?" He asked. Was this ghoul person sexist?
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"I don't know it's Ra's. The only person who comes close to understanding him is Bruce...who I'm going to have to ask for help." Joker grimaced. "The things I do for my kids."
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"There's no way he's gonna help. Not now." Cal said. After all, why would Bruce help a kid who had not only chosen evil, but hit his own sister and hurt his mother? "I'm a lost cause."
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"No your not...I'm a lost cause besides Bruce loves you he hides it well come on." Joker offered his hand. "I'll prove your not a lost cause and you can apologize to April."
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Cal waited a second, then took his father's hand. "Okay...if you say so. Do you think April will forgive me?" He asked nervously.
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"She'll probably kick you a few times but yes she'll forgive you." Joker chuckled and brought him back to the party. He dragged the adults away to explain what he knew leaving Martha to glare at Cal.
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Cal looked away, too guilty to look at his friend. As expected, April had given him a good, hard kick in the...in a very uncomfortable place, but then forgave him.
After hearing what was going on, Gemini looked ready to murder someone. "I'll kill him. I'll rip his ***** off and shove them down his throat, then beat him with his own spleen..." She kept going, getting more graphic as she went. Slightly scared, Bruce edged away from Gemini. "There's no need for all that. I'm sure we can figure this out." He said. "Bullcrap! I don't care about your no-kill policy, Bruce, this time it's too much! I'm breaking the rule, even if I have to hire some help to do it." |
"There's one problem with that Gemini...Damien adores his grandfather and if you go after him I don't think we could stop Damien from going after you." Lori sighed and ran a hand threw her hair. "Let's just talk to Ra's he can't refuse his only heir."
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Gemini clenched her fists. "Fine. But if he tries anything else, anything at all, and I'll kill him and use his corpse to beat Damian over the head."
Bruce edged a little farther away. "Now I understand why they say not to mess with a mother's babies..." He said nervously. "But don't worry about it, Gemini. It won't go that far. We'll talk to him and get this sorted out." |
"To..." Lori blinked then went to Damien. "We need to talk to Ra's." Damien blinked. "He's at his house in Bucharest as far as I know." Lori nodded "TO Bucharest!" she did a pose.
"What?" Martha blinked then looked around. "Anyone want to explain this or will I have to tease Cal till he tells me?" |
Bruce glanced around. "Maybe someone should stay here with the kids and explain. Cal will have to come with us, but the rest need to be watched..." He trailed off as he realized that there was only one person who couldn't come with them- and he was the last person he wanted to trust the children with.
Gemini seemed to realize this, as well. She took Joker's hand. "Would you watch the girls, please? We can't very well bring you, considering the history..." She pleaded. |
"Of course I can handle watching them." Joker hugged Gemini. "Come back soon OK?"
Lori hurried to pack what they needed dragging Damien along for the help. |
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