Story [Batman: The Dark Knight] A Simple Trick (Joker / probably AU, missing scene / one-shot)

Title: A Simple Trick
Author: lazykbys
Fandom: Batman (Nolan's film adaptation)
Timeframe: during TDK
Characters: The Joker
Genre: probably AU, missing scene
Keywords:
Summary: A short video clip showing another of the Joker's magic tricks.
Notes: I was lurking in the TDK thread in SFF:F&TV when this idea struck. Oh, the possibilities . . .
Disclaimer: Batman belongs to DC Comics.

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[b]A Simple Trick[/b]


The image is shaky, as is always the case when you don't care enough to fork over the extra money to buy a decent steadicam.

The man doing the recording doesn't care, of course. He doesn't care about appearances. He doesn't care about making the best presentation possible. He doesn't care that viewers might get motion sickness from the shaking picture. In fact, there's very little that he gives a damn about.

The picture finally becomes steady, if only because the camera is no longer being handled. It shows a small table, an aging metal wall, and something in between that looks like a huge mound of paper. But before the camera can focus on it, the mound is hidden by a man wearing a purple suit and poorly applied clown makeup.

"Sorry I can't come in person," the man says, "but I'm too busy right now. Tied up, you could say."

He smiles apologetically. But the effect is ruined by the fact that, beneath the red grease paint, the smile is extended on both sides by ugly scars.

Or perhaps this is [i]exactly[/i] the effect he is aiming for. You can never tell with the Joker.

"A while ago, we had a meeting where the guest of honor wasn't there in person, either. I don't know if you remember or not, but I showed you all a magic trick where I made a pencil disappear."

He chuckles at the memory. The sound has no remorse in it whatsoever, even though he killed a man for the "magic trick".

"Today I want to show you another trick. A better one. And believe me, you don't want to miss seeing this. So . . . in this pocket, I have a very nice portrait of Benjamin Franklin."

He reaches inside and takes out a very wrinkled hundred-dollar bill. There is a red smudge on the printed face which might have been made by someone drawing a smile on it with a crayon.

"A bit worse for wear, it's true, but I assure you it's worth just as much as when I first got it," he says, making a show of smoothing it out on the table.

"And in [i]this[/i] pocket, I have . . ." He pulls out what appears to be paper currency the same size and color as the hundred-dollar bill. However, the face printed on it is that of a clown. He frowns at it for a few seconds before returning his attention to the camera.

"You know, I have no idea who this is. But don't worry, it won't matter for my trick to work."

He puts the play money down on the table, next to the real one. He then takes off his jacket and rolls up his sleeves, possibly to show he has nothing hidden there.

"On the count of three," he announces, "I will turn Bozo here into Ben. One . . . two . . ."

The image cuts to that of a huge indoor bonfire. But instead of logs, the fire is being fed by what appears to be wads of money in unbelievable amounts.

"[i]Three[/i]," the Joker's voice says off-screen, followed by the annoying sound of a man laughing at his own joke.

Then the fire is replaced by blackness.



[hr]


[b]Afterword[/b]: As it says in the thread title, this is a one-shot fic. However, I have a movie-length story in my mind that uses this as a starting point. All that it requires is someone who will co-write it with me, since I am woefully unqualified for the task.

If anyone's interested, give me a PM. :)

- lazy

 

That was pretty cool. I had the gall to write a crossover with Palpatine and Joker but this was pretty cool. A lot of Joker's lines were good too. You should write a full length story.

 

Now this put a smile on my face!

Love the whole piece, your tone fits the Joker perfectly. I could so see this.
I'd quote my fave part but - *is stumped*
*chuckles*
I know a magic trick, too...

If you have more ideas for bits like this, do go ahead!

I'll now consider pming you and thus reducing the writing-quality of your idea in question.

 

I love that he frowns at the clown money. You'd expect someone like him to take it out, wave it around, make a big show that he put a clown on currency. But then, he's always a little offbeat - like being offbeat from offbeat. And that just makes him so deliciously unpredictable. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he burned the money, but of course I am.

 

GrandAdmiral_Frank: That was pretty cool. A lot of Joker's lines were good too. You should write a full length story.

Thank you! As for the full-length story, I'm trying to find someone who will co-author it with me. Any chance I could sucker you in?


MsLanna: Now this put a smile on my face!

Er . . . not the kind that comes with scars, I hope?

Love the whole piece, your tone fits the Joker perfectly. I could so see this.

Thanks! I had a lot of fun writing him.

I'll now consider pming you and thus reducing the writing-quality of your idea in question.

Please do. I need all the help I can get.


JadeSolo: But then, he's always a little offbeat - like being offbeat from offbeat. And that just makes him so deliciously unpredictable.

Exactly!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he burned the money, but of course I am.

You wouldn't have been if you'd seen the film. And the point of this fic is that, well, he didn't. Maybe I'm doing something wrong . . .


Thanks for reading, folks! I hope you liked it - or at least, didn't hate it.

- lazy