I am the clown with the tear-away face

[gotthesescars]

Who: Alma Karma and the Joker
When: Saturday Evening
Summary: The Joker's been stalking through the old network communications of the rats, seeking out those he thinks he can manipulate... and he has just the plan for little Alma.
Rating: PG-13 at worst.

Comments

[alma_karma]

Alma knew he probably shouldn't be wandering this late. Not that it was very late anyway, but anyone who'd been in the facility for more than a week knew that Saturday nights weren't really the time for excursions... but a short sit in the biodome couldn't hurt anything, right? It wasn't as if he planned on sleeping there.

... Not that he'd planned it the last time he fell asleep somewhere other than his bed.

He stepped through the biodome entrance, glancing around quickly before setting about following the stream. It was always quiet at this time of night. No fighting or yelling. You could hear the waterfall so much better.

[gotthesescars]

The joker slipped after him, keeping to the shadows, always behind the boy, making absolutely no noise until the perfect moment.

The bend in the stream would cover any noise. It was starting to get dark, and Alma was clearly in a curious mood. He stepped to the side, into the shadow of a tree, just across the stream from Alma, seeming to simply melt out of the shadows. he'd paid extra attention to his makeup today, and with a smile on his face that seemed nearly genuine, he held his hands out to the side.

No weapons. No threat here.

"Beautiful evening, isn't it, Alma? Nice night for a little dream?"

[alma_karma]

Alma loosed a startled little noise and jumped back from where he'd begun to crouch by the stream, arms reeling a bit before he plopped back onto his bottom, blinking up at the stranger with wide eyes.

The stranger with weird makeup and who somehow knew his name. The non-threatening pose was something of a comfort (and the calm smile as well)... but that didn't change the fact that a strange man had just appeared where there wasn't one before.

"... Wh-What?"

[gotthesescars]

"Well I'm sorry, kiddo, I didn't mean to scare you." The smile grew a notch and Joker stepped into the stream, setting his foot on a rock just below the surface and stepping over it, appearing to simply walk across the water.

"See, I'm not really here. Just a little dream you're having."

He kept his distance, confident that his raised shirt collar was hiding the silver one he wore as he walked around the young child.

"You get hurt a lot, Alma. That's why you had to make me."