When Callisto woke the next morning, she knew what she had to do. She went downstairs and ate her breakfast very quickly and left without saying a word. Her mother, somewhat worried, shrugged it off as just "teenage hormones".
Everyone in Gotham City knew where to find the Joker. Kids, teens and sometimes even adults often fall victim to curiosity. They always want to know what will happen if they were ever to approach the rundown laboratory. Not one single curious soul has returned from their venture.
Callisto hopped on the bus she normally took to school, but today her destination was different. Her dream still vivid in her mind, she was off to find Harley Quinn and the Joker, her proper parents. Her dream said so, how could it be wrong? It made sense. Why she never fit in, why she felt different...why she was bad. She was angry at them for leaving her with a horrible mother in a shitty neighborhood with even shittier schools, but she forgave them. The time was right, she had just turned 16 a month ago and she already decided before the dream that she was through with school. The voice on the bus speaker woke her from her daze and she realized she'd missed the stop. Cursing under her breath she pulled the bell and got off at the next stop. It was unusually cold, even for January, no snow, just the harsh wind freezing Callisto to the bone; she had no real jacket, just two poorly knit sweaters she had made herself earlier that winter, poison green and jet black, her favourite colours. As she approached the laboratory she could see the lights in the window, hear crashing and shrill laughter. She smiled and breathed I'm home..
She got to the gate and tried to push it open. Locked. Biting her lip, she slowly pushed the intercom button and waited for and answer..
*shut up, Harley!* ahem..Yeeesss? Who's there? said the Joker in a sweet yet mocking voice.
Nervously, she got closer to the intercom speaker and pressed the button to speak, I-I'm Callisto Sinistre...I've c-come here to s-speak to you and H-Harley...she then let go of the button.
Silence. She stood nervous, freezing and a little frightened.
*Move over, puddin'!* Well, girly, you're either really brave or incredibly stupid comin' up here *HARLEY!* OW, MR. J!!! You coulda asked to talk, jeez. *the Joker laughs at her and speaks on the intercom* Callisto, my apologies for Harley. I'll open the gate and our caretakers will bring you in...*BUD!! LOU!!! We have companyyyyy*
The intercom shuts off and the gates open slowly. Callisto didn't know other people lived with them. She was upset that she'd have to share her parents with people she didn't even know. She began to walk onto the path leading into the front doors of the building when she heard savage, inhuman laughter. She stopped in her tracks and looked around nervously, seeing no one, she moved on, slowy.
Only a few more steps til you get to the doors, c'mon Calli, you can do this she said to herself, trying to calm down.
She then had an overwhelming feeling of being followed, she turned around slowly and saw two large hyenas staring her down with saliva dripping from their mouths, hungry. Callisto's eyes widened in fear and she slowly walked backwards towards the doors, she looked at the animals in disbelief. Then she noticed the collars; Bud and Lou. Shit! I should've realized this was going too well. Bud and Lou were closing in on her, the door still too far out of reach. Callisto began to panic, What do I do? What the fuck do I do?! I came here to find a new life, not to find out if there's an afterlife! Fuck.. She moved her backpack to the front of her, not taking her eyes off of the hyenas, and began digging through it looking for anything to help her fight them off. Her hand hit something round and sharp, taking her hand out and quickly wiping off the little droplet of blood she glanced down and saw her saviour. A flail she had stolen from a medieval shop in the city. It was modernized, all steel handle with an extended chain and spiked steel ball at the end.
I'd never been happier to had gone to school the day of a field trip in my life. she grasped the handle and dropped her backpack, she was in battle position and was ready to take on the hyenas. Bud lunged first and she swung the flail over her head and back down right into his rib cage; he let out a painful whine and limped to the side, bleeding. Lou had already started running towards Callisto, this time she swung the flail lower and hit him around the shoulder, he too, let out a whine but trot limping towards Callisto again. She was ready for the kill, she was swinging it high and about to strike when Harley burst open the doors STOOOOPPPP!!!! She shrieked and ran over to the injured Bud, calling Lou over to her. Callisto, slowed the swinging and lowered the flail back into her backpack. She stood there staring at Harley nursing the wounded hyenas with caring hands. She was walking towards Harley and about to say something when the Joker wrapped his around her shoulder, a blade to her throat. You think you could just come up here, hurt our pets and expect to talk to us? You've gotta be joking. I know jokes. I have to say, girl, that this is a bad one. Give me one reason why I shouldn't shred your pretty little neck to ribbons right now..
Callisto swallowed nervously and stammered out I-I didn't mean you or y-your pets any h-harm..I w-want to l-live here..with you and M-Mama Quinn..Daddy J, please...I'll be a good girl
Harley, listening while tending to her babies, stood up and looked at Callisto. What did you call us?
Callisto looked at Harley, tears streaming down her face Mama Quinn and D-Daddy J...You're my p-parents... the Joker had had enough That's it, girly, any last words? We'll be sure to forget them. and he pressed the blade to her neck
STOP! Come with me, puddin'...let me talk to you... Harley said as she grabbed the Joker's hand with the blade and pulled it off Callisto's neck. What do you want now, you nutcase? Can't you see I'm in the middle of something? the Joker said angrily.
Just come talk to me for a sec, will ya? Jeez, you make everything so complicated sometimes. and she dragged the unhappy Joker into the lab, leaving Callisto outside, to wait...