The greatest show

Chapter 1

It was a dark and gloomy night down in good old Gotham city. It was pouring rain, the skies were illuminated with lightning, pounding thunder following it.

A sickly pale man with a never-ending grin sat on his chair bouncing and turning in circles with excitement.

"Happy day, happy day!" The joker cheered with utter joy.

He had been in his favorite hidey hole, having a nice supper, when a man in an orange mask came and rudely interrupted him.

The joker had heard of the man in the orange mask. Was his name Blade? Wade? Something along that and he went by Deathstroke. Stupid name if you asked him but he wasn't going to piss Spade Deadman off. Joker valued his life .After all, who else could bring Gotham such laughs?

"I hope this information is of value to you," Slade told the clown man.

"Oh, it's not every day you find out your favorite batsy has spawned another little batsy, oh yes I value your info!"

"And what will you do with this information," The masked mercenary asked.

"Oh well, you see dear !" The Joker laughed. " I'm gonna pay these kids a visit. Im gonna put on a show! The greatest show! I'll be the greatest showman!"

Slade smirked behind his mask. If he couldn't win against those brats he at least found someone who could knock them down a peg before he tried again...

...

"Happy birthday Damian," Raven said handing the young man his gift.

The teen titans had just finished celebrating the young bats birthday but Raven had decided to wait to privately give him her gift. He took the box and opened it. Inside was a dagger. A very nice dagger.

Damian cocked his eyebrow. This was far from the gift he was expecting from his closest friend.

"It's from Azarath," she told him. "It's a normal dagger, but I thought it suited you."

"Thank you," he told her pulling out the dagger. He noticed it was jewel encrusted. It did suit him, he

"How are you today," she asked him.

Damian had recently gone through some trouble with Batman. His father had gone missing, again, and both Damian and Richard took off to find him. Damian ended up almost dead when he was taken and beaten by the group who had taken Batman. He escaped of course, but it had taken him a few weeks to fully heal. He still was healing, if they were being honest.

"I'm fine," he told the empath knowing full well that she knew he was still upset and hurting.

"You can talk to me Damian," she said in her smooth calming voice. She hoped he would.

Before he could say anything their moment was interrupted by their alarms sounding off.

"Maybe later," he said as he sprang into action. "Let's go stop whatever is causing trouble."

Raven nodded and followed in his lead.

...

The team all reached the coordinates of the attack. They were lead to an old abandoned building on the farthest part of town. It was raining and awful timing for an attack. The computer hadn't told the team who was attacking and so the team had been extra vigilant.

"Who in their right mind attacks this late in the day, don't they know I gotta get some shut-eye," Beastboy joked around.

"Keep focused Beastboy," Raven scolded. "Starfire and Nightwing are not here right now to help us. If this is a major villain we won't have their guidance."

"We can handle anyone," Damian said.

Suddenly they were all bombarded with colorful lights and bullets. Lots of bullets

Blue beetle quickly put up his shields, while beast boy turned into a fly and flew up as fast as he could. Raven grabbed Damian and encased them in her protective shield.

"What the hell," Robin said as he held onto Raven.

They could hear the bullets ricochet off her shields. Each one making a clanging noise.

"You jinxed us," he told Raven with a smirk.

Raven rolled her eyes and continued to hold the shield.

After three long minutes, the bullets finally stopped. Raven cautiously let down her shield. The Blue Beetle was off to the side but unharmed and Beastboy morphed back into himself and landed next to the two birds.

"Dude," he said a little shaken up. "What the hell kind of villain are we up against. That was hardcore."

Raven nodded.

"Is everyone okay," Robin asked the team.

"I'm good," Jaime said. "But I agree with Beastboy, this villain must mean some serious business."

Suddenly the lights flared again and a creepy, eerie laugh surrounded them all.

Damian suddenly became tense, Raven could feel.

"Never serious my boy," A man spoke. "I was looking more for some hijinks and some laughs."

The Teen Titans stood at alert and looked to the shadows where the man stepped out of.

"Get behind me," Robin told Raven forcibly pushing her.

"Well isn't that sweet," the man said. "Bird boys trying to protect bird girl."

Raven looked at the man. He had bleached white skin, a terrifying grin etched into his face, but the worst thing about this man was the insanity she could feel rolling off of him like ocean waves.

"The Joker," she whispered.

Robin nodded at her, the rest of team took a step back in obvious shock.

"Proceed with caution," he told his teammates. "We are dealing with a different monster than we usually do."

"Now Robin, don't be rude. I just want to say hello Teen Titans," the infamous villain said. " Let me formally introduce myself."

He took a step forward, getting very close to the young heroes.

"Names Joker," he said arms crossed behind his back. He sauntered over to them. "But I think you all knew that."

"Why are you here!?" Damian yelled.

The joker grinned and traipsed around the ground.

"Visiting my favorite Bats little boy, and like I said , some hijinks" he said earning a small gasp from Robin.

"How," Robin began before the Joker interrupted.

"Uh uh uh," he said jumping right in front of him.

Robin immediately went into a defensive stance, Raven's hands illuminated by her dark energy, Beastboy was on alert and Blue Beetle was pointing his blaster towards the enemy.

"Oh put your weapons down kiddos!" The Joker laughed. "I'm not here for a fight. It's my welcome to jump city party."

Robin tried to throw a punch but the Joker jumped back.

"Well isn't that just rude," he said pulling out a machine gun and pointing it at the teens. "I'm only here to let you know I'm in town. What a welcome!"

Then he opened fired. All four teens scrambled away with Raven taking Damian into her protective bubble. She felt a sense of sudden dread and anxiety. The joker was about to do something awful.

"We need to leave Robin," Raven said letting her shield down and sending energy blasts at the joker. He avoided them and a few blasts from Beetle.

"We need to apprehend him," he replied back.

Before she could argue with the young man, the Joker tossed a few smoke grenades. Green gas began to seep out.

"Joker venom," Robin cried as they were all nearly engulfed in smoke. Luckily all were smart enough to fly out of the way. So was the joker, who was no longer in sight. Knowing they couldn't land near the gas Damian looked to Raven.

"Your right, Raven," Robin said. "Let's get out of here."

All the teens nodded and began to fly away when two distinct gunshots could be heard. There was a small and feminine grunt of pain and Damian couldn't focus as suddenly he was falling down fast and Raven was falling down faster, blood trailing above her.

"Raven!" He yelled trying to aim hid fall towards her.

Blue beetle caught the young bat while Beastboy turned into a pterodactyl and caught the falling Raven by her cloak.

Blue Beetle and Robin landed on the ground where immediately Beetle ran over to Raven and Beastboy.

"I'm gonna fly her back to the tower and call for help," he said his wings extending. "I think the bullets went right through her. Damian, are you okay?"

Damian couldn't think straight. He was in shock. This couldn't be happening.

"I'll get Damian back," Beastboy said handing raven over to Beetle. "Just get Raven some help."

Beetle nodded and hurriedly flew away.

"ROBIN! Beastboy yelled but got no answer. "Snap out of it dude. She's gonna be alright."

Damian shook his head. He could barely comprehend what Beastboy was saying.

"Dude you're bleeding," the green teen said pointing at Damian's abdomen.

"A bullet must have nicked me," he replied. " I'm alright, let's get back to the tower."

Beastboy turned into a pterodactyl again and bowed down for Damian. Damian rolled his eyes but hopped on.

...

Back at the tower, Damian sat in the meeting room, Richard on the screen.

"You need to call Bruce," said the first Robin. "The Joker isn't like any other villain you've fought. He is unhinged. You guys can't fight him."

Damian scowled.

"We can and we will, I will not involve father. He's here for the teen titans, not Batman. We will handle this. I'm asking for your help. Besides he's handling league business right now."

"Fine," Richard replied. "Kori and I will be there in two days. How's Raven?"

"Not in the greatest shape but she's slowly healing. One bullet went through her chest and the other through her arm."

"Her demon blood must be helping her," Richard said. " At least she got something good from Trigon."

Damian nodded and the two said their goodbyes. He immediately headed to the hospital wing.

...

Raven was shrouded in nothing but darkness. She could see nothing, feel nothing.

But the laugh.

The laugh she could hear.

It was eerie, it was creepy, between a screech and a chuckle.

"Heh heh hahaha," it kept going and going. Louder than anything she had ever heard.

It's all she could hear.

...

Raven sprung out of the bed in a panic. She didn't remember anything, she didn't know where she was, she hurt all over and she didn't know why. She was terrified and she didn't know why! There was beeping, her chest was on fire, and the laughing wouldn't stop! Tears were rolling down her face and her arm hurt so badly! She couldn't breathe, and the laughing, everything was white, and the laughing! The laughing, the laughing ...

Suddenly something slapped her in the face and she was in the hospital wing with Damian holding her face in his hands. His eyes riddled with worry. She could sense how afraid he was, afraid for her.

"What happened?" She asked him.

"You were having a panic attack." He told her as he gave her a glass of water. "Things were exploding."

Raven looked around the room. It was trashed. Like a tornado hit it. Then she remembered.

"The Joker," she said.

Damian nodded.

"He shot at us and got you," Damian said grabbing some pain medications off the floor and handing them to her. "You have been healing for a few hours. He got away."

Raven nodded and he handed her the medication. She took them. Her chest still hurt. She continued to sit quietly.

Damian looked at his friend. She looked fragile and scared. He could feel she scared.

"Raven," he said placing a gentle arm on her.

"I've seen or felt someone with such a chaotic mind."

"He's the Joker," Damian said with a frown on his face. " How do you feel?"

Raven looked into her teammates' eyes. She could sense his anxiety, his fear, his worries. She knew he could sense hers. Things were about to get dark and ugly with the Joker here. If he was here it meant Damian was in the most danger but everyone else was in a significant amount of danger as well. Raven could feel it.

"I'm scared," she said.

Damian looked away.

"So am I."

Raven was slightly shocked. In the few years she had known Damian, he had never admitted to being afraid.

This was bad. The joker was bad.

She could still hear the laugh.

...

Five young villains were sat around a table. All deadly still. Jinx, their leader, was glancing at her team. Mammoth was slightly pale and sweating, gizmo was on the verge of hyperventilating, Kyd Wykdd was stoic but she knew he was scared too, Angel was looking down.

The Joker had been seated at her chair when they walked in from a day of fun and training. He was leaning back, his legs crossed, grinning. He told them to all take a seat and to relax. They took their seats.

"I went hunting today and it was good pickings today kiddos," he chuckled. "I shot at some pesky little birds and I think I got one. The prettier one too but I think she survived."

Jinx understood right away. The teen titans.

"Now you all must be wondering why I'm here. Well, I'll tell ya. I came here to put on a show," he said. "I already visited our first set of showmen, hit one bird with two stones. Now I'm here for my next set of actors. That's you all. I want you all to be a part of the show! The show just started. I want you all to be a part of it."

He smiled, waiting for an answer.

Jynx nodded and her team followed suit.

"Now where's the excitement, the spirit, this the greatest show. I need excitement."

" We going to get paid?" Jynx said hoping to play his game. "Showmen need to make a living too."

"Of course my dear," the Joker replied opening a briefcase full of money.

Jynx smirked, but she didn't mean it. She had to play his game. For all their sakes.

"Hive five?" She asked hoping they would get the game.

Gizmo was the first.

"Dude," he exclaimed. "that's enough money for like 15 of the latest game stations. "

"That will set us up nicely for a while," Angel said calmly.

Kydd just nodded.

"Awesome," mammoth said. He was slightly nervous but he did okay.

"Count us in Mr. J," Jynx said. "can we call you Mr. J. Or should we just go with boss."

She put out her hand. She hoped she wasn't shaking.

"Call me whatever you like, Pinkie," the joker guffawed, shaking her hand.

Whatever was about to befall the teen titans, even she was afraid for them.

"This will be the greatest show, it really will be. Hahahahahaha!"

...

End Chapter 1

Notes: This fanfiction will be a mixture of the universes. Ages, characters, teams are all how I want them to be. I'll try to keep them from being OOC but sometimes we all view characters in different lights. For now, it's going to be a mix of the original cartoon and the DCAU but following the DCAU a little more. Raven will be more like the animated series when it comes to her personality. Damian will be Damian. Etc.

Some things to know, Slade is alive after the Judas Contract, Raven does have her father entrapped in her jewel, the Teen Titans are the team from the DCAU, Nightwing and Starfire are around as mentors, I didn't add Wonder Girl/ Donna Troy because I did not feel I could add her into my story well.

Rating between T and M (for violence ) but as of now I'll leave it at T. If someone believes it should be higher rated let me know I will change it. It's going to get dark.

No smut will occur but there will be romance