Becoming Nightshade

But before anyone could react, the dreamscape rippled violently, and in the blink of an eye, Maggie was gone.

-

"Maggie!" Jason yelled, his voice echoing across the carnival. He moved toward the spot where she had been, his eyes scanning the warped landscape. "Where the hell did, she go?"

Dick's breath hitched as his worst fear seemed to unfold before him. "No," he whispered, his hands curling into fists. "Not again."

The carnival around them shifted, growing darker and more chaotic. The cheerful calliope music slowed, the notes distorting into a sinister drone. The once-bright lights of the rides and booths flickered, casting long, jagged shadows that seemed to reach for them.

Constantine's voice cut through the rising tension, sharp and commanding. "Stay calm! This is Lillyanna's game. She's separating you to break your focus."

Dick's breathing quickened, his eyes darting around the carnival as memories he had tried to bury surged to the surface. "It's just like before," he said, his voice thick with regret. "I turned my back for one second, and she—"

"Focus, Grayson!" Bruce's voice, calm but firm, his Bruce's eyes were scanning the environment, his sharp mind already piecing together the trap.

"It was supposed to be a fun night," Dick began, his voice tight with emotion. "I'd convinced Bruce to let me take Maggie to the carnival. She was six, maybe seven, and I was… well, I was a stupid teenager."

Jason and Constantine exchanged quick glances, but Dick kept talking, his gaze distant.

"She was so excited," Dick continued, his voice softening for a moment. "I remember how her face lit up at the lights, the rides, the games. I thought… I thought it'd be a chance to have a normal night. To just be a kid."

His jaw tightened as his tone shifted, guilt creeping in. "We were walking through, and I got distracted. Barbara was there—I thought it'd be a good idea to stop and flirt. Just for a minute. Maggie was right there. Or at least, I thought she was."

Dick's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "When I turned around, she was gone. The crowd was thick, and it was dark. I panicked, started shouting her name, but there was no sign of her. "

He swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly. "I ran everywhere, calling for her. It felt like hours, though it was probably only twenty minutes before I found her." He paused, his breath hitching. "She was crying, terrified, and being dragged by some lowlife."

Bruce's expression darkened, his jaw tightening at the memory. "I remember," he said quietly. "When you brought her back to the Manor… she couldn't stop shaking."

Dick nodded; his voice heavy with guilt. "And you—you didn't even yell at me. You just… "

Bruce's voice softened, though it still carried his usual authority. "You were a teenager, Dick. You made a mistake. But you brought her back."

"It wasn't enough," Dick muttered, his voice thick. "I should've never let her out of my sight. I promised to protect her, and I failed."

The air around them seemed to grow heavier, as if the dreamscape itself fed on his guilt. Maggie's voice echoed faintly in the distance, her cries for help twisting like a knife in his chest.

"Dick," Bruce said, his voice steady. "This isn't the past. This is Lillyanna. She's using your guilt against you."

Jason, standing nearby, let out a sharp exhale, his frustration boiling over. "We don't have time for a therapy session!" he snapped, his voice cutting through the tension. "Maggie's out there right now, and she needs us! So let's get moving before it's too late."

The group stayed together, a silent agreement among them that splitting up would only play into Lillyanna's hands. The dreamscape was too unpredictable, too dangerous to face alone. Every shifting shadow and eerie whisper reinforced the importance of their unity.

Bruce's voice broke through the tense air, low and commanding. "We stay as one. The dreamscape is designed to isolate and disorient. If we split up, we're easier to pick off."

Jason nodded; his jaw tight. "Fine, but let's move faster. "

As the group pressed on through the twisted carnival, the environment shifted subtly with every step. The vibrant tents and rides seemed to fade into darker, decayed versions of themselves. The air grew colder, the distorted carnival music slowing to an unsettling hum.

Jason's sharp eyes darted to Constantine. "Any idea where she's leading us?"

Constantine exhaled; his voice heavy. "The dreamscape pulls from memories, emotions, fears. Wherever she's taken Maggie, it's designed to cut deep."

As they pushed through the heavy tent flaps, the interior came into focus. The air was thick with the smell of burnt sugar and rot. The main arena was lit by a dim spotlight, casting flickering shadows across the warped bleachers and the cracked circus ring below.

And in the center of the ring stood Joker and Harley Quinn, and in Harley's arms was Maggie, her small frame trembling as she struggled weakly against the grip of the deranged clown.

The Joker's twisted smile stretched impossibly wide, his pale face smeared with streaks of crimson and black that gleamed under the dim, flickering light. His green hair was slicked back, glistening like wet grass. He twirled a cane in one hand, spinning it like a maestro preparing for a macabre symphony. Beside him, Harley stood with her usual manic energy but a much darker edge. Her pigtails hung unevenly, her face smeared with makeup that had started to run, and her mallet rested casually on her shoulder, its surface stained with dark smears of grime. Her free arm was wrapped tightly around Maggie, who flinched at every movement.

Maggie's eyes darted toward the group, filled with fear and desperation. "Dad!" she cried, her voice breaking. "Help me!"

Jason's blood boiled the moment he saw the Joker, his fists clenching so tightly his knuckles turned white. "You've got to be kidding me," he growled, stepping forward, rage radiating from him. "You sick son of a bitch!"

Jason surged forward, but Bruce's arm shot out, stopping him. "Don't," Bruce warned, his voice low and firm. "It's not real. This is Lillyanna's trap."

Joker tilted his head, his grin widening. "Oh, Batsy, why spoil the fun? Let the boy play! He's got so much anger to work out, and I'm always happy to help with that."

Harley tilted her head, her gaze darting to Maggie as she purred, "Aw, Puddin', the poor little birdie looks scared. Think we should let her fly?"

Maggie squirmed in Harley's grip, tears streaming down her face. 

"Let her fly?" Joker repeated, his tone feigning shock. "Harley-girl, you're not thinking big enough. She's the star of the show!" He spun his cane and pointed it directly at Bruce, his eyes narrowing. "And don't worry, Bats. I've made sure this performance is extra special. It's all about family, after all."

Dick stepped forward, his voice sharp and filled with anger. "Let her go. This isn't a game."

Joker laughed again, his head tilting back as the sound rose into a chaotic crescendo. "Oh, but it is! Life is the ultimate game, boy wonder, and tonight's prize is little Maggie. But if you want her back…" His smile turned savage. "You'll have to earn it."

The ground beneath them seemed to ripple, the shadows stretching and twisting. Maggie's cries grew louder, echoing unnaturally as Harley tightened her grip. "You hear that?" Harley cooed, her grin widening. "That's the sound of your precious little bird breaking."

Jason's rage boiled over, lunging forward, his fists raised. But Constantine grabbed him by the arm, yanking him back before he could take another step.

"Don't!" Constantine snapped, his tone sharp and commanding. "Jason. If you lose control, you're playing right into Lillyanna's hands."

Jason glared at Constantine, his chest heaving as he struggled to reign in his anger. "You expect me to just stand here?"

Constantine's gaze was unyielding. "No. I expect you to keep your bloody head."

Bruce's voice cut through the tension, calm and resolute. "Constantine's right. This isn't the Joker. It's Lillyanna, and she's trying to manipulate us. Don't let her."

Joker leaned on his cane, his grin widening as he watched them with a gleeful glint in his eyes. "Oh, I love a good team huddle," he said mockingly. "But come on, Batsy, where's the fun in that? Let's see how far you're willing to go."

Harley twirled her mallet, her gaze flicking to Jason. "Aw, sugarplum, you look like you're gonna explode. Why don't you take a swing? Might make you feel better."

The air in the tent grew heavier, the oppressive weight of the dreamscape pressing down on them. Bruce turned to the group, his voice low but firm. "Stick together."

The twisted silence of the tent pressed against them as the group held their ground. Joker's grin didn't falter, his green eyes gleaming with malice. He tapped his cane rhythmically against the dirt floor, the sound reverberating unnaturally. Maggie's muffled cries broke through the eerie stillness, and Jason's fists clenched tighter, his whole body vibrating with tension.

"Let's not drag this out," Joker said, his voice sing-song. "We all know how this ends—tears, trauma, and maybe a body or two. So, who's going to make the first move?"

Bruce stepped forward; his tone as cold as steel. "We're not playing your game."

Joker's grin widened. "Oh, but you already are, Batsy. Every second you waste trying to outthink me, she slips a little deeper into the abyss."

Harley cackled, swinging her mallet onto her shoulder and giving Maggie a shake. "Tick-tock, darlings. The clock's runnin', and this little birdie doesn't look like she's got much time left."

Jason couldn't take it anymore. "That's it!" he roared, ripping himself free from Constantine's grip. He surged forward, his fist aimed directly at Joker's grinning face.

"Jason, stop!" Bruce barked, but it was too late.

Joker's laughter rose, a maniacal crescendo that seemed to warp the space around them. Jason's punch connected, but instead of feeling flesh and bone, his fist went straight through Joker's face like smoke. He stumbled forward, thrown off balance, as Joker's image dissolved into a swirling cloud of shadows.

"Oh, come now," Joker's voice echoed from everywhere and nowhere. "Did you really think it'd be that easy?"

The ground beneath Jason's feet shifted, cracking like thin ice. Shadows erupted around him, coiling like snakes and dragging him downward.

"Jason!" Dick yelled, diving forward to grab him. His hand caught Jason's wrist just as the shadows swallowed his legs.

"Hold on!" Dick shouted, straining against the pull. Constantine knelt beside him, muttering an incantation under his breath as the sigils on his hands began to glow.

Jason's teeth clenched as he fought against the crushing darkness. "Get Maggie!" he growled, his voice strained. "Don't worry about me—just get her!"

Bruce's gaze darted to Harley, who still held Maggie, now retreating toward the back of the tent. His voice was cold and commanding. "Dick, Constantine—get Jason out. I'll get Maggie."

Without waiting for a response, Bruce moved, his presence like a shadow cutting through the chaos. Harley grinned as she saw him approach, spinning her mallet lazily.

"Aw, Bats, comin' to play hero?" she taunted. "I love a good cliché!"

Bruce didn't respond, his focus locked on Maggie. Harley lunged, swinging her mallet in a wide arc, but Bruce ducked smoothly, his movements precise. He grabbed the mallet's handle mid-swing, twisting it sharply and sending Harley stumbling back.

Maggie cried out, reaching for him. "Dad!"

"I'm here," he said, his voice steady as he caught her wrist and pulled her behind him.

Meanwhile, Dick and Constantine were locked in their own battle to free Jason. Constantine's voice rose, his chant filling the space with a resonant hum. The shadows recoiled slightly, their grip loosening as Jason clawed his way back toward solid ground.

"Hurry it up!" Jason snapped, his frustration boiling over. "I can't hold out much longer!"

"I'm bloody trying!" Constantine barked, the glowing symbols on his arms flaring brighter.

With a final heave, Dick yanked Jason free of the shadows, both of them collapsing to the ground in a heap. Jason was up in an instant, his eyes blazing as he turned toward Harley. "I'm done playing around."

Constantine placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "Not yet, mate. Let the Bat finish this. We've got another job to do."

Jason growled but nodded reluctantly, turning his attention to the swirling shadows that still lingered, remnants of Joker's twisted presence.

Bruce, meanwhile, had pulled Maggie close, his arm shielding her from Harley's erratic swings. With a precise strike, he disarmed Harley, her mallet clattering to the ground.

"Oh, you're no fun!" she pouted, stepping back and dissolving into shadow like Joker had.

The tent began to shake, the fabric tearing as the dreamscape itself started to unravel. Constantine's voice rose again, louder this time, as he cast a protective barrier around the group. "We've got to move—now!"

Bruce turned to the others, Maggie clutching his arm. "Stay together. She's not done yet."

The group regrouped, Constantine leading them toward the tear in the dreamscape as Joker's laughter echoed one last time.

"Run all you like," his voice taunted. "You'll never outrun the truth."