It was impossible to tell how much time had passed, it could have been days, it could have been minutes but by the time reality began to ooze back into place Crane had left.

Harley Quinn was there though, humming to herself and finishing a few final touches on an outfit she had just put ciara in. The strange ensemble was part straight-jacket, part ball gown. It was a stylish patchwork of blue and green materials that bound her arms in straight-jacket fashion and flowed down her body.

Ciara looked down at the dress, "Did you make this yourself, Miss Harley?" She asked, her forehead covered in sweat from Crane's toxin.

"Yep! Ain't it pretty?" Harley grinned, "Mr. J's got a big day planned for you, you came a bit early so Crane had to keep you busy but he's just about ready now! It's my job to make sure you're presentable!"

Ciara looked the dress over again and a wide smile crossed her face, "Why it's the prettiest dress I've ever had!" She got up and did a twirl, grinning ear to ear. " I love the patchwork and the sleeves... Well a little tight fitting to the body but of course I've never worn a dress quite like this." She gasped, "Would you do my hair as well, Miss Harley? You're so good at sewing, I'm sure you're also very good at other things like fancy hair dos. Oh tell me Miss Harley, what does he have in store? I've never had a birthday in an Loony bin before." She asked, sitting back down in the chair, a sparkle in her eye.

(( Prettiest Dress... Quick Silver flips table))

((LOL))

Harley blinked, "r-really? O-OKAY!" she replied, getting excited as she hopped around to start working on Ciara's hair. "Oh, Mr. J's parties are the best! We're gonna have sooooo much fun! But I think he'd be upset if I spoiled the surprise... he really likes being the one to do the big reveals and all that."

"Oh that's alright. I suppose it would be like telling the end of one of his jokes. How did you two meet anyways?" She asked curiously.

"Oh that's a story for the ages" Harley sighed in love of the memory. "I was new on the scene, a psychiatrist ready to try her hand at the world but everybody thought I was just some blond bimbo, a joke! So I took on the one they were all scared of, I was gonna get into the head of the joker himself! Well, turns out Mr. J. and I had a lot in common already, he knew me so much better than anybody else ever had. He understood me and I started to understand him. He's really just so misunderstood, nobody else seems to get it-but I do! And I'll stay by his side forever!"

"Awww, that's so sweet. Such a lovely story, Miss Harley. I hope one day I find someone who understands me just like you... Did you make your outfit as well? I love the detailing." She commented.

"Sure did!" Harley replied proudly as she stroked Ciara's hair, "aww man, you've got the prettiest hair. I wish I was a red head, I think it'd match my outfit a lot better."
Harley finished doing up her hair before skipping towards the door, "OOOooooooKAY! Time to go, all ready?"

"Aw thanks but I think I like your hair that colour with your outfit. It contasts with the red and black very nicely. " She looked around, and ran a hand over her hair to feel what had been done. She smiled and got up. "I guess so. I hope we're not late cause I asked you to do my hair." She said walking to the door.

Harley skipped to the door, opening it up and escorting ciara out and down the hall. She lead the way along until they came to a Pair of double doors. Harley wrapped a cloth around Ciara's eyes and brought her inside.

Leading the mutant into the center of the room, she whipped the blindfold off to reveal a long room that had been redecorated with party decorations in blue, purple and pink. Tables were arranged in a semi-circle with blood-stained tablecloths on them and pink paper plates that had 'happy birthday' plastered over them. There was even a birthday banner but aside from all the basic decorations every single person there was wearing a mask; A specially made mask that portrayed the face of a different x-man.

At the head of the table was 'Xavier', with 'Storm' and 'Beast sitting beside him and the rest spread out along the other tables. Of course 'Scott' and 'Jean' were sitting next to each other, even 'Kitty' (who was likely being played by a man by the look of it) was snuggling up to 'Colossus'.

Ciara didn't question the blindfold, as she entered you could tell from her body language she was excited but when the currents to this great act opened, her expression turned grim. She slowly shook her head, not believing what she was seeing... "No...No It can't..." Not these people. She had just come from a nightmare where all of these people were. Torturing and tormenting her to no end. She took a step back, her heart starting to race as she recited on of Shakespeare's poems:

"He that is thy friend indeed,
He will help thee in thy need:
If thou sorrow, he will weep;
If thou wake, he cannot sleep:
Thus of every grief in heart
He with thee does bear a part.
These are certain signs to know
Faithful friend from flattering foe..."

Harley raced off and came back into the room, wheeling a giant cake out in front of Ciara. "Now to the birthday girl!" she turned and acted like a conductor for the crowd of 'x-men', "One and two and a one, two three!"

"Haaaappy biiirthday tooo yooouuu" they all began to sing, clearly trying so hard to stay in key and failing miserably. Not to mention it was horribly thrown off by someone with a really back smoker's voice, which after a minute seemed to be coming from 'kitty pryde'.

At the end of the song, the Cake exploded in a great mess and Joker leaped out, wearing a mask of the Wolverine, although unlike the other he still had his purple and green tails on. The others were dressed, very poorly, to match their masks. Joker Danced over to Ciara and gave a bow, offering his hand to her so that they could dance while Harley scrambled to pull the make-shift band together to play some music.

"Thou would have me dance with a fake and phony wolf... But me thinks it best not to question my hosts desires..." She spoke, looking at the man questionably. She bowed and stepped forward. Feeling much more relaxed as she could tell it was the Joker under a mask.

Joker paused, then glanced over at Harley, "Harley!" he hissed and she ran over, desperately trying to figure out what he would want next. She quickly undid the restraining part of the dress and rushed back to the band.
With a smile, Joker took ciara's hand and hip and they began to dance.

"Hm, I was getting use to those.." She commented as she found herself with more freedom then before.

Ciara placed her hand on his shoulder and followed his lead, "My goodness, how did tho become such a fine dancer, my mysterious host?" She asked, a smile slowly beginning to return to her face.

"I'm a man who enjoys the... finer things in life" Joker replied with a chuckle as he spun her around, "Tell me, how are you enjoying your stay at my humble abode?"

"Very well, thank you. Especially this party... I'm finding it frightfully delightful." She commented as she spun away from him and back again.

"Thank you! It's so nice to have someone appreciate all the effort I put into these things." he swung her by where 'kurt' and 'scott' were 'bickering', whilst reading their words off cue cards.

"Hey, uhh, don't mess with the, err, fuzz man!" 'kurt' argued, giving Scott a shove, "you totally stepped on my... trail? Oh, tail!"

"err, sorry dude" 'scott' replied, "It was an accident. Lets be cool about this... buddy."

'Kurt' flipped to the next card, "uh, right man. Okay. use tail to-oh, now I uhh..." he reached back and picked up a blue tail that was tucked into his pants and used it to undo 'scott's' belt, "haha. Got you! uhh, BAMF!" he turned and ran away.

"Not cool man" 'Scott' sighed as his pants dropped to his ankles. He stooped to pick them up.

"Friendship!" cued in 'Jean' in an overly shrill voice.

Joker chuckled, "it's the finer details that matter sometimes."

She chuckled along with him, "Ah Scott, the boy scout who let himself be possessed by a red haired demon.. Trapped forever under her thumb even in death.. Kurt, afraid of mobs and nerve racking situations... Always fleeing rather than being a man... and Logan... the man of so few words he couldn't even come to say the simple, meaningful ones," She ran a hand along the side of his mask before smiling excitedly, "What delightfully well done characters. I was overwhelmingly terrified when I first arrived at your party!"

"I knew it! I could see it in your eyes! It's so kind of you to admit" Joker continued to sweep her across the dance floor, "You're such a delight to have around. So much more interesting a conversationalist that Batsy ever was."

"Ah the man of such few words and emotions... I suppose the flow of conversation would dry up very quickly. Tell me, how did to come to have him in your care, 'Logan' " She asked as he dipped her which just made her giggle with delight.

Joker grinned, "oh, it's quite a tale of wonder and mystery, as a matter of fact if it weren't for my scary friend, we may never have figured it all out. You see, apparently dear Batman had run away with everyone when the earthquake hit" the crazed man explained as he spun her around, "and he finally got his wits back about him to return. Furtunately the poor sap ran into some trouble with Killer Croc in the sewer he was using to get back into the city. Dear Croc nearly snapped him in two, broke his leg at least but Batsy being the slippery twit that he is, managed to crawl away. Too bad he was in no condition to fight when he realize he'd crawled right into my little world!"

Joker sighed with delight at the memories, "Bats was broken, easy to reel in but a broken toy can only be so much fun. So I called in the good doctor to patch him up!"

"What a wonderful story indeed. And so generous of you to take the poor man in to tend to his wounds and needs." She spun away from him and gave a great bow, "Even now you open your doors to me and for that I thank you dearly... All this dancing had gotten me terribly thirsty. Are there refreshments?" She asked walking back over to the Joker as they'd made a rather large gap between them from the last twirl.

"Of course! Haaarrleeeeyyy!!!" Joker called.

Harley startled and turned abruptly to run over to him, "Yes Mr. J?"

"Break out the refreshments! And the entertainment" Joker ordered

"Ah, but I was kinda hoping you'd dance with me next Mr. J-"

"Harley!" Joker snapped, his eyes narrowing on her angrily for even trying to argue.

"Eep, Yes Mr. J!" Harley squeaked as she ran off to do as he said.

Joker turned back to Ciara with a smile, "so hard to find good help these days. Come, sit, the night has only just begun!"