Chapter 1
In a casino, an alarm goes off. People look around as a figure in black moves overhead. Security guards walking. We see a boy with bronze skin in a long black overcoat, red gloves, black ensemble and unruly hair carrying a silver briefcase. However, the most noticeable thing about the boy was his masquerade-esque mask. He smirked.
The guards finally noticed him and pointed, “Hey he’s up there.” But, he is already gone.
As the boy landed on the overhead lights, a girly voice spoke, “Good job, start running!”
Another feminine voice piped up, “Don’t forget, this is our only chance at this!”
An airy voice took over, “Don’t panic, though. You can get away.”
Another female voice spoke up, “We’ll retrieve the briefcase on our end.”
A sort of static ran through the communications.
The airy voice spoke again, “...Hmm?”
The first voice came back, “We’ll be fine, don’t worry about us!”
As he carried on hoping from platform to platform, the voice carried on, “Nice move, showing yourself above the crowd. As good as usual, Joker.”
Another voice chuckled, “Bet Harbinger could pull that off half as smooth.”
“Hey!”
Another voice butted in, “She’s right, though.”
He’s spotted again,“There he is.”
The girly voice spoke again, “Hurry!”
An elegant boy’s voice spoke up, “Everyone knows where we’re meeting up, yes?”
“ Don’t worry, I’ll guide you all”, the airy voice responded.
As he landed on a ledge, he began to run. Only to be stopped by guards, who turned into monster-like creatures.
“Crush ‘em, Joker!” He smirked, before jumping up and ripping off one’s mask.
It burst into an even larger monster.
Joker summoned a creature of his own. A figure in red and black.
He defeated the monster with ease.
“More are on the way” the airy voice told him before more appeared. He dodged their hits and hopped onto a platform behind.
He ends up in the back area.
The airy voice, “Go that way”
“Can he even hear us?”
“Of course…wait, I’m picking up a strong reading ahead.”
The boy hurried through, only pausing to hide for a moment before pushing through. He paused again to hide before looking up at the catwalk above.
The airy voice spoke in an instant,”Brilliant, do it.”
The boy smirked and used a grappling hook to swing onto the platform.
“Good, the exit should be straight ahead.”
As he ran that way though, the airy voice spoke, “Stop. An enemy, right in front of you.”
And just like she said, they appear.
“Even you can’t take on this many. And the reading from before is growing closer.”
The clicking of heels on concrete alerting him to her presence.
“That’s the presence I was sensing.”
“Allow me to end this, here and now.” She unsheathed her rapier and threw it towards him. Rather than hit him, though, it hit the monster behind him, bringing it to its knees
At once the shadows rushed towards her, but she dodged and shot them with her shotgun. She did numerous flips before shooting another monster.
As she walked towards him, the monsters melted into strong and bigger ones.
“I relied on you so much before.” She pulled her rapier out of the monster as it dissolved.
“Today, I’ll return the favor.” She pointed her sword at the monster, “Ready?”
He smirked.
The enemy attacked her, but she flipped away. She smiled at him, “It’s been a while since we fought together, side to side. Let's not lose.” And with that, she summoned her own creature and attacked. All the monsters fell to their knees.
“Let’s end this!”, he told her and they attacked full force.
As the monsters dissolved, she smirked as she flipped away, “Stuck the landing!”
She turned to him, “I believe that’s the last of them.”
“Although I don’t know what just happened, I assume it was good? But, don’t rest just yet, backup is on their way.”
The girl turned to him, “Go, I’ll lead them astray. You still have unfinished business, No?” she turned her back to him, “I won’t stop you, as i’m not a member of the phantom thieves, I have no right to interfere.” She jumped to a ledge above, “Just…Don’t forget our promise, alright?”
And with that, she was gone.
He ran, sneaking past security, up the stairs and stopping at a balcony.
“What is it?” The airy voice asked, “The exit is up ahead.”
Joker starred at the stained glass window in front of him.
“Through there”, He asked, incredulously.
“With the bottom floor locked up, it’s the only way out, sorry.”
“Can you make it?” Another voice asked. He smirked.
With the guards hot on his trail he hopped over the ledge, running along the edge. He paused, before turning to the guards, their guns pointed at him, “See ya later”, Then he threw himself at the window.
“Show off”
On the outside, he landed on his feet, unharmed.
Suddenly, lights pointed at him.
“What?”
“What’s wrong?”
“These readings, it can’t be.”
Police surrounded him.
He tries to run, but he’s outmatched and held down to the ground, “You can thank your little friend for this.” Joker’s eyes widened, “That’s right, you were sold out.”
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Everything was hazy for him as he was kicked around and drugged by the police. As they listed his crimes, blackmail, obstruction of justice, criminal possession of weapons, Murder, he couldn’t remember a thing.
As they pulled his hair, trying to get him to confess, he said only one thing,
“You can call me Harry.”
They forced him to sign a confession and left the room. He couldn’t even let out a sigh of relief before the door opened again.
A vaguely familiar dark-skinned woman with perfectly styled hair walked in, “So, it was you after all.” She sat down at the table.
“What about everyone else?” Harry needed to know.
“They’re fine” She assured, “You were the only one arrested.”
He sighed, “Good”, before groaning in pain. That’s when the woman noticed the used needles on the ground,
“Bastards.” she turned back to him
“Listen, I can’t protect you here. Anything could happen and I'm powerless to stop it. If you want protection, Tell me the truth. What was your goal? Why did you cause such a massive incident? When and where did you discover the existence of that other world? How is stealing someone’s heart even remotely possible?!”
With each question, she grew more and more demanding.
“I-I-I Don’t” Harry couldn’t even begin to wrap his head around the words, let alone comprehend them.
A soft voice spoke, “You are a prisoner” Harry looked up and saw a glowing blue butterfly.
“A prisoner whose future has been ripped and torn by fate. This game you were forced to play, so unjust. But, the fact my voice reaches you is enough to give hope.”
His eyes followed the butterfly’s movements, “Your victory lies in those memories you have made with others, those bonds that can never be truly broken. All this began when the game did, six months ago. Please, remember. Not just for the sake of your world, but for you as well.”