Jason stared at the deck of cards with a confused look on his face, then held up a hand as if to say no. "She can't know he's taken anyone. She's chosen to forget about the majority of what he does, at least for now. If she finds out what he's still doing before she's better she's not going to recover. I can see that."
Huffing, she continued to shuffle the cards mindlessly. "Alright, you're the boss, what you say goes." She hummed, knocking her head back. Hair falling out of her face, she gave a side glance at the rest of the group, smirking just slightly. She knew they probably hated what she had just said.
Clem swung her mallet around and rested it on her shoulders, hands hanging over it. She stared at Bruce, a knowing look in her eyes. "At the end of the day, I know you're gonna help. Gotham would hate you if they found out you'd sat idly by while the Joker killed an innocent kid. She's 10, Bruce. How's that gonna look on your image?" He eyes glinted maliciously. "And I know that you can't do it without me. I know that you know that too. Mother won't talk to you. Father won't talk to you. Hell, not even Lucy will talk to you. You can't do shit without me, whether you like it or not."
Clicking her tongue, she shifted her green gaze between Clem and Bruce with a slight worry. Ember wasn't sure what to say or do, she had tried a dozen times, but clearly her attempts were futile. So tapping her foot in place, making a slight echo sound, she just waited to see the response of the 'Batman' in question. "Personally I wouldn't trust a hero that refused to help protect a child." She muttered under her breath.
"If I might say something," Alfred begins, walking to the center of the room. "I believe that Miss Clementine is right. You are the only ones who can do anything about this. Miss Lucy needs to be saved."
An incredibly smug look came onto Ember's face, as she crossed her arms over her chest. 'Thank you Alfred.' She mentioned to herself, crossing her arms over her chest. Holding her fist though, out to Clem trying not to make it obvious.
"Where might we find Quinn?" Tim spoke up, the first time he had the whole time the girls were there.
"She's in Arkham. Where else would she be?" Clem sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Giving up, she titled her head down to the floor. Hearing the name had decreased her spirits by the dozen. She only now remember that’s where they had to go, a knot tightened in her chest.
The whole thing was awful, and she didn’t want to be apart of this. But it was for Clementine, so of course she was going to help.
"Then let's go. Rather than sit around doing nothing, let's get out and do something."
"Finally. Someone who actually has a brain. I'm going to go in my car. Can only fit one other person though."
Ember glanced at Jason, assuming he’d want to ride with Clem. So she wasn’t getting the front seat for sure.
She hated sitting in the backs of cars, she always got crammed with her long legs. Her spirits were already diminished, she didn’t want to be stuck back there.
"Jason, go with Clem. Tim, Ember: you go with Dick. Damian you're with me." That was something Clem couldn't argue with. Bruce knew his team better than she did, and if he put people with others they were good together.
'This is going to be such an awkward car ride…'
Pulling her short hair up, and out of her face, she looked over to Tim, and then Dick. "Well?" She asked, not wanting to have to be with them longer than she had to. "Let's go," Her tone was rather annoyed, as she glanced over to Clem.
Clem walked to her car, Jason close behind her. She tossed her mallet into the backseat, then hopped into the driver's seat. She waited for Jason to get into the car, starting the engine. Just before she drove off to Arkham, she shot a rude finger at Bruce.
"Clem!" Ember called out over her shoulder in a scolding tone. Giving her a look, she walked off with both Tim and Dick in front of her. 'I hate this… I feel like I'm being escorted to a police car…' She moaned, stuffing her hands in her pockets.
"We'll find her. You know that, right?"
"Of course I do, Jason."
"Just double checking. I know how you overthink and overstress."
"It's hard not to. Dad could literally kill Lucy. The thought of being a mother to Lucy is the only thing helping mum through her reformation."
Pulling her phone out, she shot a text to Clem before turning to face the window. The boys weren't offering any form of conversation, so she wasn't going to bother either. You owe me. She had sent to Clem, already feeling bad about it the longer she sat in silence.
"It's just…it's hard. And Bruce doesn't get it. None of you guys are too associated with him: most people know you as yourselves and no longer Robins, with the exception of Damian. No normal people know who either of my parents are, but all the heroes and villains associate me with both of them. I'm sick of it."
Jason didn't know what to say.
Ember continued to sit awkwardly in the back of the car, no words coming from her. Though she eventually thought of something to say.
"You boys ever talked to a girl before? You seem to be lacking conversation skills." She hummed out loud, mostly to herself. "Unless it's because I'm Riddler's kid, you shouldn't be opposed to talking to me."
"I think that…" Jason started, thinking of how to word it. "I think that we're so used to the old ways that we don't remember there are new ways. I mean, most of the heroes and most of the villains haven't changed. Sure, they have kids and partners now, but the majority of them still do their old thing. Ivy still poisons guys with her love kiss. Penguin still attacks innocent people with his marionette dolls. Scarecrow still spreads fear gas through the city and terrorises everyone. Somethings haven't changed."
She only got silence in return, causing her to sigh. "Fine, don't talk, I'll just play with my cards." She mumbled, leaning on the door. Throwing her feet on the back seat, she didn't bother to be careful of their stuff. She didn't ask to be put here. She had come with Clem, and had expected to go back with her. That hadn't happened.
"Sometimes I just wish I just wasn't the kid of Joker and Harley Quinn. If my whole life could be the same but without them as my parentage, I think life would be a lot easier for me. They basically doomed me from the day I was born."
'Please get there soon, please oh please.' She begged, shuffling the cards mindlessly.
(I really don't have much to do)
(i know, don't worry)
Before long, the pair reached Arkham. It was large and foreboding, an ominous feeling radiating off it. Clem had spent her first years of life here, her parents refusing to let her be taken from them - though it was mostly Harley who cared. This place was somewhere Clem vowed only to come to as a last measure. She often didn't visit her mother face-to-face, instead opting for a video call conducted by the warden. She had many bad memories from here.
(M'kay, just letting you know)
Ember waited for her friend, leaning against the car that had brought her here. Seeing her one-of-a-kind car pull up, she smiled brightly. Pushing off the car, she walked around to the driver's side, and pulled the door open. "That was the most awkward car ride, I've ever been through." Ember laughed, giving a soft smile. "You gonna be OK?"
(btw my pfp is now clem, cause im gonna use her in a future story)
Clem took a deep breath, her eyes glowing light purple as she steadied herself. "Truthfully, I don't know. Haven't been here for years." In truth, Clem didn't think she was going to be OK. She could almost feel the nightmares coming on, and she didn't want them. "I'm doing this for Lucy. I'm doing this for Lucy," She repeated softly to herself.