In retrospect telling the Joker that he needed new comedy material while he's holding a gun to my face wasn't the brightest idea I've ever had, Barbara Gordon reflected as she looked down the barrel to the rage filled eyes of the mad clown.

"Ya know kid I've tried to be nice but your making it difficult for me to keep doing that." He pouted at her before continuing. "Besides my material is pure gold! Am I right?" the clown asked glancing around at the rest of the hostages who just looked back at him in terror.

"Everyone's a critic" Joker grumbled before turning back to Barbara and smiling brightly. "Good news kid," he paused. "Well you might not think so but who really cares?"

Joker leering leaned down and she couldn't control a flinch of fear when he laughing said, "Batsy, Bratgirl, and Boy Blunder haven't shown up yet and I'm getting bored of waiting for em, so that means you and I get to have some fun." He beamed at her before whipping up the pistol in his hands and aiming it at her chest.

"Sayonara Red." Barbara braced herself for the pain that was about to come.

Joker pulled the trigger and howled in laughter when a flag that said BANG on it popped out.

"You see Joker this is what I was trying to tell you," Barbara began even though the very small part of her that was still sane was screaming at her, Don't try to be the hero Babs your not Batgirl at the moment but he is still as insane as ever! Fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you want to look at it she had gotten very good at suppressing that part of her mind.

"I mean seriously it's the fake gun, giant sledge hammer, or laughing gas with you. Nothing ever changes in your act! Call yourself a comedian?! Hah! I bet you cant even get your pet hyenas to laugh at you. And if they do its because of how hilariously pathetic your jokes are!

Barbara paused to take a breath and in the corner of her eye noticed Batman and Robin crouching in the shadows ready to make their move. Batman sent her a look that either meant "You're an idiot and I'm ashamed to even know you" or "Keep on stalling so we can make our move." Barbara chose to interpret it as the second one.

She quickly started up her tangent again, "You should try ummm… Rubber chickens! Yes rubber chick - Smack! Barbara's head jerked to the side painfully as Joker cut her off with a backhand to the face. That's gonna leave a bruise.

"Shut up Red you're givin me a headache." Joker scowled down at her before rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Rubber chickens huh? Yeah I could see how that would work! Maybe if they were giant green killer rubber chickens…"

At that moment Batman chose to strike. While he and Joker began to fight Robin slipped over to Barbara after he finished freeing the other hostages. "Hey BG staying traught?" he smirked as he leaned down and began untying her.

"Took ya long enough Pixie Boots." Barbara said flatly as she rubbed her wrists which were raw from the handcuffs. She glanced over to see how the fight was going. Hmm Joker seems more distracted than usual plus he keeps on muttering about giant green rubber chickens.

"Yeah sorry bout that, B and I got tied up (and I mean that in the literal sense) by Two Face." He said as they watched Batman cuff Joker
and alert the police that the clown had been neutralized.

"Hey!" Robin and Barbara turned at the shout and looked over at the clown.

"What do you want Joker?" Robin growled at him.

"Oh don't get your feathers in a twist Bird Boy; I just wanted to thank Red over here for the ideas!" Joker began to laugh. "I mean rubber chickens! That my dear little brats is pure gold! Pure Go-." Joker was cut off from his rant when the officers slammed the doors to the cruiser in his face.

Robin and Barbara turned to each other. "Babs when Batman told you to keep the Joker busy I don't think he meant give him new ideas on how to terrorize the city."

"Oh come on Rob, you don't actually think that he'll do anything with that do you?" she asked nervously.

He gave her a look. "It's the Joker that should be answer enough." He turned and pulled out his grappling gun and called over his shoulder to her. "Until the next time you get a gun pointed at your face Miss Gordon." And than the bird flew off into the night to find the knight.

"Brat." She whispered smiling before turning and pushing all thoughts of the Joker out of her mind as she saw her father running towards her. 'After all' she thought rather foolishly she knew, 'What harm can rubber chickens do?'

Meanwhile in a cell in Aarkham…

The Joker laughed wildly to himself as his plan began to take form. One day very soon all of Gotham would learn to fear the might of rubber chickens.

To Be Continued….